


Habanero and Jalapeno

by Figgyfan14



Series: Habanero and Jalapeno [1]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Danzo is about to be dead, Dysfunctional Family, Family Feels, Kakashi can save Itachi from himself, Minato tries to be a good dad, Multi, Naruto doesnt make it easy, Naruto has a Mother, Naruto has a kid crush, Sasuke feels inadequate
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-04-03
Updated: 2016-06-07
Packaged: 2018-05-31 00:29:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 23,580
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6448189
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Figgyfan14/pseuds/Figgyfan14
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After a fight with Minato, a six-month-pregnant Kushina left without a trace, only to show up five years later in Suna with a strawberry-blonde boy named Naruto, who isn't your average Jinchuuriki. Raised by Kushina, his temper is almost as hot, and it's certainly going to take a village to raise this child! Family!fic and Fluffy stuff, herein! (New summary, same story, I'm just bad at them)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Decisions Made and Time Lost

**Author's Note:**

  * For [MahlyekiDyavol](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MahlyekiDyavol/gifts).



> Wow, I should totally be updating something else right now, but I couldn't make myself not write this. Blaming it on the four-year-old I babysit. Anyway! I would like to thank the lovely Mahlyeki Dyavol for beta-ing this! You're my new favorite! Ahem, anyway, I'll be writing this mostly as a family!fic with some side things tossed in just because, and I'll up the rating in later chapters if I need to! Your feedback is much appreciated! Enjoy!

Kushina was scary when she was angry, even when she wasn't six months pregnant. Standing five feet, five inches tall with hair as red as the fire inside her, she didn't look like a lot upon first glance, but her chakra stores were more impressive than any other living nin and her temper was hotter than a habanero. With six months of pregnancy fueling her hormones, she was a hazard to herself and anyone unfortunate enough to cross her.

Minato didn't realize just how much of a hazard, though, until it was too late. He thought she would cool off, as she usually did when they fought, but instead he woke up and there was no sign of her. She was simply gone, and there was not a single trace of her departure left, in the village or out of it.

~*~

Naruto Uzumaki sat on the floor of the Kazekage’s home, giggling and poking at the sullen four year old next to him, watching as the sand caught his fingers before he could touch him. His mother sat on the couch watching them both as she hummed in thought, the Kazekage next to her speaking in a quiet tone, earning an occasional nod. Suddenly, Naruto’s lips curled into a grin, and he pounced on Gaara, his amused giggling increasing as the sand caught him before he got too close. Gaara fidgeted, frowning at the small blond.

“What are you doing?” He whispered, glancing at his father and tipping his head at Naruto.

“I’s gonna hug you! I though’ maybe you'd wanna hug, cuz your face was all scrunchy like mama's when she talks 'bout da.” Naruto slurred his words and couldn't say everything he wanted to, but Gaara understood most of it.

“But… why would you hug me? Aren't you… Scared?” Gaara, with some effort, gently pulled the sand away, jumping slightly as Naruto pulled him into a hug and grinned at the redhead as he pulled away.

“I'm not scared of nothin’! Mama protects me, and nothin’ can hurt her!” He smiled brightly up at his mother, who returned the smile, and leaned down to smooth a hand through his strawberry-blonde hair.

Gaara watched them with slight confusion, carefully not looking at his father, and when Naruto smiled at him with the same warmth he showed his mother it made the ache in his chest ease, a slight bit of warmth curling in its place. Naruto pulled him back into another hug, and Gaara smiled softly, but then his father was clearing his throat, young green eyes quickly snapping to focus on the man.

“Gaara. Come. Kushina is going to look at your seal.” The Kazekage spoke with an authority that made Naruto wrinkle his nose and look at his mom with question.

“Can I come? I wanna help!” He piped up, Kushina chuckling and shaking her head.

“Stay here, darling. We'll only be a few minutes, then we'll go have some ramen, and I think Gaara and Kazekage-sama will be joining us.” She smirked as the four year old squealed in delight and sat politely back on his cushion, grin so bright it shamed the sun itself.

“Yes! Hear that, ‘Ra! We get some ramen!” He cheered to the smaller ginger, and wide green eyes blinked between Naruto and his father, who looked less than pleased at the thought but didn't contradict it. It brought a small smile back to his face, and he stood quickly to follow the adults from the room.

They went just over to Gaara’s room, and he took off his shirt, sitting still on his bed while Kushina nipped her finger, starting to draw on his chest with her blood. The more she drew, the warmer he felt, but he didn't dare fidget and risk messing her up, even managing to keep the sand at bay despite wanting to push her away. When she finished, he felt like a small volcano was contained within him, and the markings started to glow, the heat cooling slowly as the glow intensified. He didn't know what was going on, but neither adult seemed worried, so he tried to sit as still as he could. When both the warmth and the glowing disappeared, he felt more put-together and whole than he could ever remember being.

“There you are, do you feel better, Gaara?” Kushina smiled at him as warmly as Naruto had, and he smiled back a little more confidently this time, nodding and glancing shyly at his father, who looked vaguely pleased.

“Yes, ma’am.” He whispered, and Kushina laughed aloud, startling him. She lifted him effortlessly and, for once, he didn't have to think about keeping the sand back, it didn't even stir as she sat him on her hip and grinned at him, carrying him over to his dresser to get a new shirt for him.

“Good lord, I haven't been called ma’am in almost five years! What do they teach kids in this desert? Put that on and we'll go get some dinner, hm?” She huffed, smiling even at his father and getting a polite smile back from the man, who nodded.

“If you want ramen, there’s a shop not far from here, but I'm afraid I'll have to-”

Gaara witnessed something he'd never seen before, then. Something he would never forget... Kushina interrupting his father.

“Oh no you don't. I came because you needed help with your little warrior here, but I told Naruto we were having ramen with the Kazekage today, and if you want me to renew that seal before we leave next month, you aren't going to make me lie to my baby.” Kushina even poked the man in his chest as she finished her sentence, eyes narrowed, and Gaara felt more terrified and in awe than he ever had before, sitting on that woman’s hip as she challenged his father without even a stutter.

The Kazekage looked very close to denying her this, but the Uzumaki were known to be particularly stubborn, and Kushina wasn't known only in Konoha as the Red-Hot Habanero. The woman had been in Suna for the past month, and only planned to stay another, but the Kazekage was well aware of her reputation.

“Of course, Lady Kushina. You have my thanks for your assistance with Gaara, and I'll meet you and your son at the ramen shop for dinner in one hour. Gaara can show you where it is.” The man nodded to his son, who was still as a stone as he watched the encounter. Kushina gave a soft smile.

“Thank you, Rasa-sama. I'll take Gaara and Naruto to the park, then. Perhaps Gaara’s uncle will want to join us? Yashamaru?” Watching him tense and frown at the mention of the man, Kushina just smiled more brightly. “But perhaps another day. I hope we haven't inconvenienced you in your duties today.”

Gaara didn't understand what he was missing, but he knew he wasn't understanding everything being conveyed, so he simply clung more tightly to Kushina and buried his face in her shirt, hoping to be allowed to go to the park to play with the woman and her son, Naruto. Rasa sighed and shook his head at his son’s behavior, but didn't say anything about it with Kushina around. The jinchuuriki mother was a fierce thing.

“Of course not, you've done Suna a great service. In an hour then.” The Kazekage nodded to her and left the room before she could reply. Gaara glanced up when he was gone and fidgeted with his new shirt, looking up at her with eyes that clearly apologized for something, even if neither knew what. She sighed and sat him on his feet, taking his hand and leading him back into the room they'd left Naruto in, where the blonde boy was sprawled on his back on the floor, staring at the ceiling.

“Naruto, are you talking to Kurama again?” Kushina’s voice could only be described as cautious as she asked this, and blue eyes blinked droopily when Naruto turned his head to look at them.

“Yeah, mama, he was tellin’ me 'bout the seals!” Naruto grinned lazily as if he'd just woken up, and Gaara tipped his head curiously.

“Be careful about that, okay baby? Don't let him talk you into opening the door until you're able to control the chakra. You don't let Shukaku talk you into it either, Gaara.” Kushina looked from one boy to the other, and both nodded, though Gaara didn't know what she was talking about, yet.

“'Course, mama!” Naruto was perking up again, and scrambled to his feet to run and give his mother a hug. He then hugged Gaara for good measure and grinned up at Kushina, melting her heart all over again. “Now ramen, right?!”

“First the park, and then we'll go get ramen.” Kushina didn't have to say anything more before Naruto was hopping up to hang from her waist and whoop with joy, startling Gaara and making the woman laugh as she pulled him up and kissed his scarred cheek. “Let's go, then.” She shifted him to one hip and scooped Gaara up onto the other, carrying them both effortlessly and drawing giggles from her son, who held onto her tightly with one hand while the other reached over to take Gaara’s.

“Park, park, park!” He cheered, bouncing happily and grinning. This pulled a real smile from Gaara, who had never had anyone to play with before.  

It seemed like it took forever before they got to the park, but to have Naruto dragging him from the swings to the slide to a group of children playing ball that he bullied into letting them join made Gaara smile and even begin to laugh. He had never felt so alive, and he didn't ever want to lose this feeling.

~*~

Minato didn't know what he had expected when he went in that day, but it certainly wasn't to see the Kazekage’s ninken summons waiting patiently outside his office with an envelope in its mouth. Upon seeing him, the ninken stood and trotted over to offer him the letter, disappearing in a puff of smoke. He stared for a moment, wondering what could be so urgent that the Kazekage hadn't simply mailed him about it, but when he opened the envelope, he felt as if his legs were about to fold underneath him.

Inside was a picture of Kushina eating ramen with a messy-haired blonde boy in an obnoxiously orange shirt, and a ginger boy he recognised as the Kazekage’s youngest son, whom he met briefly on his last visit to Suna.

The letter itself detailed how Kushina had been there for a month and planned to stay another before moving on, and that she and her son, Naruto, had spent a lot of time with Gaara in the days leading up to him sending the letter. They were very fond of the boy and certainly wouldn't be leaving early. This had a lot of emotions welling up in Minato, as he looked between the name in the letter and the strawberry blonde whose face he was seeing for the first time... Naruto Uzumaki. It was the name he had chosen for his son before Kushina had left in her fury over their disagreement, but she had, at least, let him keep that.

He could hardly believe it was actually Kushina, with her long fiery hair pulled into a messy bun held together with chopsticks, and a grin on her face as Gaara stared incredulously at the mess that was all over Naruto’s face from the ramen. 

After four years of hearing nothing at all about her whereabouts, they had started to catch little whispers amongst the shinobi villages just six months ago. No one had mentioned the boy, however, and he had thought the worst until seeing him for himself. Blue eyes the same shade as his own sparkled, even in the photo, and he had a curious set of whisker-like scars on his cheeks that made Minato wonder who the Kyuubi's jinchuuriki was and how it happened.

One thing was certain, though, and that was that Minato wasn't going to allow anyone to keep him from his wife and son any longer, even if he had to fight Kushina for the right to see the boy.

~*~

Gaara had actually been allowed to have Naruto spend the night with him, and he didn't know why Yashamaru and Father were being so generous, but he never wanted it to end. They had eaten ramen again at the shop by his home, then Kushina had left them in his room, and they played a lot of games Naruto made up. Most of them, he also cheated at, but Gaara found his own creative ways to cheat Naruto’s cheating, so it was all in good fun. Yashamaru made them both take baths after Naruto accidentally made it rain on them, Gaara’s sand unable save them from it and sticking to them uselessly, but they got to sleep on the couch until his room got cleaned up, so that was something different and fun to the pair of four year olds. They had been tired after the excitement of the mud anyway, and had very quickly fallen asleep curled together under a blanket on the couch.

The next morning, Gaara woke to the smell of burning and the sound of soft laughter mixed with hissed cursing. Naruto was still asleep, so he carefully wormed out of the blonde’s clutches and tip toed toward the sound. When he reached the kitchen he peeked in and saw a red-faced Kushina cursing as she scraped something burned from a pan and Yashamaru stifling his laughter as he flipped a pancake easily. He let out a small giggle at the glare Naruto’s mother was giving his uncle, and both adult’s snapped to attention, heads turning to see him half-hidden behind the doorframe.

Yashamaru smiled at him and held out a plate. “Gaara. Would you like a pancake? Don't worry, I made this one.” He glanced back at Kushina whose face matched her hair, which was once again tied messily into a bun.

“Oh, yeah, tell the kid I can't cook. I can make some things, I just can't flip those damn… Whatever those are.” She huffed, snatching the plate from him and ignoring the way both boys laughed. She sat it on the table and grabbed a cup, pouring him some milk to go with it, and Gaara smiled shyly at his uncle before scampering over to the table to eat.

“They're pancakes….Karura… She made them for me when I was younger, and she loved them. Gaara does too.” Even Gaara noticed the slight hesitation on his mother’s name, and he quickly ducked his head to take a drink, missing the sad look Kushina gave him.

“Well, I'm sure they're delicious, they're just such a ridiculous food to make.” She huffed, ruffling Gaara’s hair gently and smiling at Yashamaru, who returned it.

“It was about the only thing Karura could make, actually. She sometimes even burned rice.” He chuckled and smiled, getting returned smiles from Gaara and Kushina as he slid the pancake from the pan onto a plate before pouring another one. “Here, try one. Gaara can wake Naruto when he's finished his, so this one will just get cold if you don't eat it.”

Kushina looked a bit unsure, but she was never a hypocrite, and she made Naruto try new things all the time. Taking the plate, she sat next to Gaara and mimicked his cutting off a bite before steeling her courage and eating it. Pancakes were sweet and fluffy, and the berries mixed into the batter made her hum softly with happiness at her first bite. Okay, so it was possibly worth setting the first one on fire.

Gaara grinned more widely than Yashamaru had ever seen when Kushina smiled around the pancake, and, for the first time in a very long time, the man felt some hope for the child.

Suddenly, Naruto burst into the room, leaping onto the ginger and knocking them both to the floor, effectively breaking the moment. Large blue eyes were full of tears, and he didn't even seem to feel the fall, shaking and clinging to his stunned friend. Kushina was there in an instant, all thoughts of pancakes were forgotten as she pulled both kids into her lap on the floor, rubbing their backs and trying to soothe her son into loosening the tight hold he had on Gaara.

“Mama, I saw Gaara's sister was the Kaz’kage and he got took by the 'kats’ki, and they took his Shuka and he almost died!” Naruto whined, pulling Gaara even closer as if trying to absorb the boy into himself to protect him. The ginger didn't look particularly worried, though, hugging his friend and trying to breath around his squeezing. Kushina sighed as if this was commonplace, after all, it wasn't rare that Naruto woke up from vivid nightmares of destruction, usually with some strange description like giant snakes smashing the walls of a ninja village or the brother of someone named Sasuke killing his whole clan.

“Sweetie, you know those aren't real… It was just a dream.” She soothed, and Yashamaru was at a loss as to what to do, mentally noting to ask Gaara when he had learned he had a sister to tell the blonde about in the first place. Temari and Kankuro weren't even allowed near their brother yet.

“It was real! I saw! Gaara almost died 'fore I got there and broke the statue!” Kushina hummed, and continued to rub his back until his breathing slowed and he no longer dripped tears and snot onto Gaara, sniffling softly and letting her wipe his face.

“Gaara is right here, hun. He isn't going anywhere.” Kushina assured as she cleaned both boys with gentle hands. She was so focused on her task that she didn't even notice the two men standing in the kitchen doorway until Yashamaru gasped and broke her concentration.

Minato stood with Rasa, long yellow hair windswept, and his eyes locked onto the blonde boy Kushina held in her lap. She pulled both children in closer, and Naruto locked stares with his father, his forehead wrinkling in confusion. Nothing had ever scared his mother, so he wasn't going to be very fond of anyone who did. Even Gaara, who could sense the amount of chakra within the blonde next to his father, simply stared in defiance for the crime of making Kushina nervous.

Minato was the first to blink, even if it was only shifting his gaze from Naruto to Kushina, eyes softening ever so slightly. “He's soft. A shinobi shouldn't reveal his emotions so easily at his age. But… that's why you left, isn't it? You never wanted that for him.”

“He has it anyway. No Jinchuuriki has… We didn't know what would happen, but you got what you wanted, and I'll be keeping him as safe from that life as I can, Minato. He deserves to have friends who appreciate him without thinking he's an asset or a monster.” Kushina hissed, narrowing her eyes at her husband and watching pain flash through his eyes.

“We could have given him that at home, Kushina. You didn't have to run away from it.” He had regretted that argument for five years now, and she could see it on his face. She loved him, and she wanted to comfort him, but she had to protect her baby…

“You want us to return home with you. Fine. We will go back with you, and he will be your precious heir, and no one will ever be told what he is.” She pulled both children closer to her, and Naruto once again frowned up at the man that was making his mother act so strangely.

“Mama, we can't go! We have ta stay for 'Ra! He don't have any more friends!” Naruto protested, once again squeezing the small ginger against his chest like he could absorb him. It was comforting to Gaara now, as he was faced with the thought of losing two of the three people that cared about him.

“Naruto. You know we have to leave. We don't belong in Suna, and Gaara is going to be a fine shinobi that you'll meet again some day. Maybe he’ll even come visit with Rasa-sama next time we have the chuunin exams.” Kushina carefully explained as she unwound the boys and sat them both on their feet on either side of her, her grey eyes were hard and challenging as she directed the last bit at the Kazekage, whose eyes narrowed at the challenge. Kushina was gutsy, if anything.

“But, mama-”

“Naruto.” All it took to silence his protest was a soft tone and a glance as Kushina stood, placing her hands on top of their heads. “It's time for us to go. Thank you for your hospitality, Yashamaru, Rasa-sama. It will be returned in kind should either of you choose to seek it.” She was stepping back into her role as the wife of the Hokage with ease, even if only for the public for now.

“I'll miss you…” Gaara whispered, casting a worried look at his father before hugging Kushina around the waist and then bolting for his room, leaving Naruto to whimper and watch him go. He didn't want to go to Konoha and live with this blonde man that took him away from his friend, even if he was his father.

Kushina sighed, shaking her head and lifting Naruto onto her hip, grabbing one of the cooling pancakes Yashamaru had made to hand to her son. “We'll go now, then.”

Minato had watched the exchange in silence, frowning as the Kazekage's son rushed past them, but nodded when the decision was made.

“Good. You've been missed by everyone, Kushina….” He sighed when she simply stepped past him and out the door, then nodded to Rasa. “Thank you.”

“Of course.” The Kazekage had renewed relations between Konoha and Suna with this, and, with the added stability of their military power in Gaara, it had all worked out rather well for him, even if it didn't seem to have pleased his son or Kushina Uzumaki.

Kushina was halfway out of the village when Minato caught up to her, and she ran in silence, ignoring the blonde man next to her as she shielded Naruto from the biting wind that Suna was named for.

They had been traveling with a caravan recently, since it was getting harder to carry the boy long distances, and traveling slowly and alone was just asking for trouble. The last stop the caravan made, though, was Suna, and the next time they were heading out was at the beginning of the next month. She knew now that she should have found a new caravan...


	2. Mama Pepper

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Because I am suffering from some serious Kakashi feels, I have here the newly beta'd chapter two!  
> For real, my heart breaks for young Kakashi, I can't stand it. I just die a little inside every time he gets sad. Warning for super emotional mush!  
> Also, we find out Minato's side of things this chapter!  
> Alrighty, now! Chapter three is in the works, and probably will be up tomorrow, unless I decide to update something else tomorrow!  
> Hope you enjoy! Srry for long note! '^^  
> EDIT NOTE: Edited the chapter and note, because my beta is super awesome! Thanks to MahlyekiDyavol!

Minato remembered every word and expression from the fight. He'd analyzed each of them, trying to figure out what he could have done differently. He had come to the conclusion that the thought of Naruto suffering due to the fear and judgement that so many Jinchuuriki experienced was simply something Kushina wouldn't deal with, and the dangerously short life of a ninja was also something she never wanted for her baby.

Irony was ever cruel, though.

He was still unsure why the bijuu was sealed into Naruto, but it had to have happened while he was being born or in the womb, like Minato had suggested. He had thought she would want to pass the demon on, and ‘ _ surely our son would be able to handle such a thing _ ,’ but she had been outraged at the idea, even of transferring it while she was pregnant, which was the only way it wouldn't have killed her.

Glancing over at the markings on the boy’s face and the slightly red tint to his blonde hair made Minato regret the fight once again. She had been so set against it, but with no one to stabilize her own seal during the birth… it had not worked out the way she wanted it to.

The fight had started on the subject of the danger and pain of being a child Jinchuuriki, and had escalated to the risk of being a ninja at all. There were so many dangers and risks of a short life that went along with it. ‘ _ Two members of your team are dead, one after being made a Jinchuuriki, and the third is a depressed child that needs anything but what he is getting,’ _ which was the position of jounin. That had struck him like a blow, and he had honestly been a little crueler than he was proud of after that.

_ ‘The child would be the son of the Hokage and Konoha’s greatest military asset, everyone would expect him to be a ninja even if he was only your son or only mine, but both together _ -’

Minato had to shake the thought from his head as he remembered her face from that moment. He had never felt as guilty in his life as he had when he’d referred to her that way. He knew she hated the way Jinchuuriki were seen. He never saw her that way, but when he’d opened his mouth to take it back, to attempt to wipe the expression of fury and pain from her face, she’d held up a hand and silenced him.

They were done with the conversation. ‘ _ That is enough _ .’

She had rubbed her stomach as she said this, and he’d assumed it was upsetting her and making the baby wiggly, like it sometimes did when she argued with people now.

She liked to joke that her baby’s temper was as hot as her own.

But…she hadn't cooled down. She had left. Minato knew the baby kept her up some nights, so he hadn't thought a thing of it when she had gotten out of bed in the early morning hours. She had kissed him and he had mumbled a soft endearment before he fell back to sleep, but when he woke up the next morning and she wasn't in the house and no one had seen her…

He had searched for two months for even the slightest trace, but there was no chakra print, and not even a single long, red hair. The council had demanded he stop his search after that, claiming it was a waste of funds.

She was written off as an S-class missing-nin, though Minato hadn't allowed a dead or alive bounty. Only alive. Killing her would have meant death, and everyone knew it, even though it was unspoken.

~*~

They had just crossed the border into Konoha when they came across an ANBU patrol, and both groups stopped when they saw each other, Kushina lowering Naruto onto his feet as the ANBU dropped into crouches in front of their Hokage.

“Anything to report, Inu?” Minato asked the Captain, and Kushina’s eyes widened as they rested on the larger-than-expected form of Kakashi Hatake, a nin who had been painfully small and young for his standing when she’d left. She kept quiet, but glanced quickly over the three ANBU behind the captain, not recognising the others. Naruto was looking at them all with wide eyes, and looked more closely at the man Minato had addressed as he rattled off a series of numbers and colors.

“Mama, is that man a dog?” He whispered loudly, and everyone stopped to look at him, making him fidget. “Da’ called him a dog…” He mumbled, pouting and leaning against her. Kushina was the first to laugh, followed by Minato, and Naruto screwed his face into even more of a pout. “Jus’ askin’.”

The ANBU himself chuckled at that, and Naruto glared at him, but Minato shook his head. “No, Naruto, that's his codename. This is Inu, an ANBU Captain. He's protecting the country by patrolling the border while I'm away, just in case anyone tries to attack us while we're weaker.” Minato explained, and 

Naruto frowned, only understanding about half of the words.

“But he’s not a dog.” He clarified, and Kushina laughed, grinning at Minato.

“No, honey, he's a ninja.” She said, and the boy brightened, Minato frowning at the simple explanation.

“A ninja like Yashamaru and you?! Can he fight real good?!” Naruto squeaked, suddenly looking much more interested, and Kushina smiled.

“Yes, even better than I can. He's an ANBU, and that means he's one of the best. He's next in line to lead the village, actually.” She watched Inu straighten as he realized that she knew who he was, and her lips curled into a smirk.

Naruto didn't notice, though, staring up at the ninja in awe. “One of the best… whoa… can I be like him when I grow up, mama?” He whispered loudly, and she nodded, ruffling his hair.

“You can be anything you want to be. You can even be Hokage like your father if you work for it. Everything you do, do it with your whole heart, and you will never have failed.” Naruto nodded as if it was something he heard often, and Minato felt his heart soften a bit more towards the woman raising their son this way.

“Team Inu, you're dismissed.” He said, rather than commenting on her parenting, and the ANBU were gone in a whirl of leaves, making Naruto squeak again as he clung to his mother’s pants.

“Can I learn that?!” He asked, voice high and loud enough that the ANBU could still hear it, and Kushina laughed.

“Maybe in a few years. You need better chakra control first. I'll teach you after you can make one link of a chakra chain.” She promised, tapping his nose before picking him up and starting through the woods again.

Minato was slightly confused. “That won't be for at least ten years with the amount of chakra he'll have to master. You didn't get that far until you were sixteen.” Minato reminded, and she rolled her eyes, picking up her speed as they leapt through the forest she'd missed so much.

“Naruto has a Hokage, a relatively friendly bijuu, and a jounin that already uses the technique to help him. I made that chain with hard work and creativity. He'll have two years, at most, before he can create a link. And that's just because he's still struggling with control. He can make a chakra wire two miles long, but one the length of his hand is still too hard.” She brushed a hand through his hair as he looked around them in curiosity. They had, unfortunately, had to stay away from northern forest areas to avoid recognition, so Naruto had never seen a forest like this before, and he was fascinated. It was certainly more interesting than Suna. 

They came to the wall, and the four year old squirmed in her arms as he turned and craned his neck to get a better look at it. The huge gate was just opening in the faint light of dawn as they leapt from the trees, landing easily on the soft grass and dirt. The chuunin on gate duty waved a greeting to Minato before they noticed the redhead and blonde child walking behind him.

Kushina sat Naruto on his feet, and smiled as he immediately fisted a hand in her pant-leg as he looked around in curiosity. She looked up just in time to catch the startled expression on the faces of Anko and Kurenai, the chuunin at the gate, before both girls leapt at her, shouting her name in unison and pulling her into a hug. Their shouts got the attention of others, and suddenly Iruka Umino, who had once let her braid his hair while he was meditating, and his teammates Kotetsu and Izumo, who were inseparable and always ate her cooking when she offered it to them, no matter how bland or over-spiced or slightly burnt it was, were also there, faces bright and grinning. Soon there was Hana Inuzuka as well, who Kushina had held and suggested she try being a medical-nin when she found her, at just five, crying over some boy saying her chakra stores were too low to do anything important. The voices escalated, and even civilians that had known Kushina to be a gentle and caring Hokage’s wife were starting to look out at them all.

Suddenly, a sound cut through the noise, and silenced everyone as Naruto started to cry.. Kushina looked down to see he had been pushed away from her at some point and she couldn't find him. Minato was there in a moment, zipping through the crowd of people and scooping up the sobbing child as Iruka tried to calm him. He clung to Minato and pressed his face against his shoulder. The blonde man wasn't entirely sure how to handle it, rubbing Naruto's back and smiling awkwardly at all the open-mouthed looks he was getting from the crowd. No one had ever seen him do anything even remotely fatherly before. In the past five years he had seemed to avoid children, and people understood that it was because he had lost his wife and unborn child, but to see him holding a sniffling, snot-nosed little blonde boy… Well. Even the civilians knew who that was.

Minato cleared his throat. “Kushina and Naruto are home to stay. Feel free to stop by this evening to see them, but they're both very tired right now, so we're going… home.” He looked at Kushina as he said this, and her grey eyes met his, full of soft acceptance and forgiveness. He was pretty sure only Kushina could ever make his knees weak like that.

“Thank you for the welcome. I'm glad to be…  _ home. _ ” Kushina added, smiling brightly, and those who had just come to see what all the fuss was got to see the crowd of Konoha citizens parting around Kushina Uzumaki and Minato Namikaze who was carrying a small blonde child. Their Lady Hokage was home, with her son, and it was a thrill to everyone.

~*~

Kakashi had been stunned to see Kushina after so long. He remembered her, the fiery red hair and laughter like bells, not to mention the temper that thoroughly earned the name Habanero.

He could still picture her like she was the day before she’d left, hair all tangled and tied back in a messy bun as she attempted to make noodles. He had come over in the early morning that day, stopping in to report to Minato before he even got into the office, because Kakashi had wanted so badly to just get some sleep after three days on a mission without any. She had opened the door with her hair a tangled mess around her shoulders, and her baby belly barely fitting under the sweater she wore. Kakashi had recognised it as one of Minato’s. He had asked if the Hokage was awake, and she’d smiled sleepily and shook her head.

“He'll be up in a half hour. Do you want to wait here?” She'd offered, and Kakashi had been two seconds from declining when she put a gentle hand on his shoulder and pulled him inside. “I'll make some tea and rice for breakfast.”

He had tried to say something, anything at all, but her arm wrapped around his shoulder, and he had been far too tired to do anything but nod. “Thank you, Uzumaki-sama.”

She had laughed, then, and smiled at him so warmly that he’d almost forgot the constant ache he held in his chest. “Call me Kushina, Kakashi, there's no need to be so formal.” She had said, and Kakashi just nodded again, letting himself be guided to the kitchen table and sitting while she made the tea. She had dropped a bowl of rice when she was bringing it to the table, but Kakashi was quick enough to catch it, making her smile and ruffle his hair. “My balance just isn't the same right now.” She huffed, handing him chopsticks as well.

They had eaten and drank their tea together in silence. Minato had come in as Kakashi was washing the dishes while Kushina attempted to wrestle the noodles she was making for lunch into submission. He had taken one look at his wife, covered in flour and cursing a blue streak while Kakashi stifled chuckles, and had burst into laughter. This, of course, got him a smack to the arm, but he’d only laughed harder and pulled her into a kiss.

They had been so obviously in love, and Kakashi had actually smiled for the first time in months. He gave his report to Minato and had left shortly after that, but Kushina had given him a hug and thanked him for his company before she let him go. She was the only thing he’d ever had as a reference for a mother.

Seeing her with her child, the boy she'd wanted, whom she had named Naruto, had reminded him of how she had acted that day. Her gentle touch, and laughter like a bell. Her soft words of encouragement. It was hard not to hug her and tell her how glad he was that she was back, how much he'd missed seeing her with Minato, missed the way she softened him.

As soon as they were done with their patrol, Kakashi dismissed his team and went directly to the Hokage’s home, but he stopped with his hand raised, unsure of himself and hesitating to knock.

The door opened before he even had a chance to decide, though, and a tiny blonde looked up at him with huge blue eyes and squeaked, ducking behind the door.

“You're the ninja from the forest! The dog!” He practically shouted, and Kakashi blinked at him in surprise. He definitely wasn't wearing his ANBU mask, and he didn't understand how the kid could recognize him.

“Naruto, why are you yelling?” He heard a tired voice from inside, then Kushina was opening the door wider and smiling at him. “Oh. Sorry, I hope he didn't say anything too loudly. Naruto likes to memorize chakra, he says they're all pretty colors.” She rolled her eyes like this was ridiculous, then stepped aside as Naruto shoved his way back to the door, blinking up at him again with a grin.

“Mama, he's got two colors like me an’ Ra! How can you do that? Are you a Jin’riki too? You don’ look like one.” He babbled at top speeds. Kushina quickly picked him up and set him inside, shaking her head.

“Let's take this conversation inside, hun.” She shooed Naruto further in, then smiled at Kakashi with the same warmth he remembered. “Come on inside. We ran through the night, so Minato is sleeping, but Naruto and I are more accustomed to it. I can wake him if you need something.” She offered, ignoring the way the blonde boy was now peeking at them from over the arm of the couch as she lead the ANBU member through the house.

Kakashi shook his head. “Ah, no, I-” He watched Naruto attempting to sneak around behind them and lost his train of thought for a moment. “I came to see you. To welcome you back, of course.” He cleared his throat as he said that and dropped his gaze to the floor as she smiled brightly, laughing.

“Yes, I had quite the welcome at the gates this morning. I think everyone who was awake must have come to meet us.” She offered him a chair at the same table he'd sat at so many years ago, and he smiled softly as he took it.

“People have missed you. Many of the chuunin tell stories about you to the genin. I was describing your chakra chain to Itachi, and he actually has enough chakra to make one for a short amount of time.” Kakashi was pretty sure he hadn't spoken this much in the past month altogether, but as Kushina turned around with tea in hand and a proud fire in her eyes, he couldn't do anything but smile and lower his mask to drink.

“Itachi is going to kill his family!” Naruto blurted from behind him, and Kakashi almost choked on his tea, turning one wide eye to the small blonde that had attached himself to the kitchen wall.

Kushina sighed and walked over to crouch next to her son. “Honey, you may have dreamed about a boy whose family was killed, but that doesn't mean the first time you hear a name that sounds the same-”

“No, mama, Sasuke said! He was dyin’, an’ he said I have ta kill Itachi, cuz he killed his fam’ly!” Naruto looked at her with huge, watery eyes, and Kushina frowned.

“There is no Sasuke, baby, he was just a dream.” She stated firmly, but Kakashi cleared his throat, dread pooling in his stomach.

“Well. There is a Sasuke Uchiha, but he's alive. He was born shortly after you left Konoha.” He put in softly to Kushina, whose face was puzzled as she pulled Naruto to her and stood.

“But then how-” She stopped and looked at Naruto sharply. “Did you open the door, Naruto?”

The comment made no sense to Kakashi, but Naruto looked guilty enough that it must have meant something to him. “Only a little, mama… Rama gets stuffy and grumpy…” He mumbled, speaking more quietly than Kakashi had thought him capable of.

Kushina closed her eyes and let out a long sigh through her nose. “Kakashi, I need you to do me a favor.” She said softly, voice quiet and composed in a way that he recognised to mean something was wrong.

“Anything, Uzumaki-sama.” He answered immediately.

“Bring Itachi here. And the jounin that works most closely with him.” Kakashi frowned and tipped his head, mind whirling.

“I would be the jounin, but Itachi would never- He's a pacifist.” He fell silent as her eyes snapped open to stare at him.

“Thank you, Kakashi, but I still need you to bring him. Tell him… I want to meet the shinobi who can use my technique. Be quick.” She was completely different from the person she'd been just ten minutes before, and Kakashi snapped to attention, nodding curtly. He recognised the authority in her voice, and he wasn't going to go against orders from the Lady Hokage.

He was out the door before she even blinked.


	3. Godmothers and Bijuu are Meant to Protect

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter has been beta'd and is super exciting to me, so I'm posting it ASAP! Hope you guys enjoy!

Itachi corrected Sasuke's form for the third time that morning, watching his brother try again and finally succeed. He was only four, and Itachi smiled softly as the younger went through the Kata without a single mistake.

“Good job.” He praised, and Sasuke beamed up at him.

“I did it right?” He piped up, and Itachi nodded.

“Perfectly.” he said, ruffling Sasuke’s hair, making him wrinkle his nose and straighten it as best he could.

A familiar approaching chakra signature had Itachi turning, but Kakashi didn't drop from the trees and greet him with his usual quiet ‘Yo.’ He appeared with the whirl of leaves customary of a shunshin, and his mask was slightly askew in his obvious haste. He glanced from Sasuke to Itachi and straightened more than Itachi had seen him do anywhere that wasn't a mission. They had gone on many a mission together since Itachi became a chuunin, and Itachi had seen him stare down an enemy jounin from his usual slouched position. Something had changed.

“Itachi. Minato-sensei returned with Kushina… she wants to meet you. I told her you can create a chakra chain.” Itachi could see something else lurking in Kakashi’s grey eye, but he trusted the older shinobi enough to smile and nod.

“Of course, Kakashi-senpai. Sasuke, let Shisui know I'll be late to our training today, okay?” He smiled as his brother pouted and nodded.

“Alright…” They were supposed to have another hour to train together this morning, but Sasuke recognized the name Minato, as anyone else in Konoha did. He was rather curious about this Kushina, though. He'd heard stories about her, but hadn't been born when she left, so when Itachi and Kakashi took off, he followed them.

He was the best in his class at tailing, and this came in handy as they quickly outpaced him, which forced him to follow them using chakra trails and crushed grass. Neither nin was paying enough attention to notice their tail, both so focussed on the other.

Itachi had yet to master the shunshin, so it took a little longer to get back than it had taken Kakashi to get to him, but when they got to the house, Minato was muttering under his breath and carrying out Naruto, who was pouting in a way that looked very close to his father’s current expression. Both blondes perked up when they saw Kakashi and Itachi, and Naruto squirmed in the Hokage’s arms, whining when he wasn't let loose.

“Da! Lemme down, ‘Kashi is back!” He whined, but Minato was having none of that.

“Kakashi and Itachi are meeting with your mother, and I have to keep you out of their hair.” The older blonde huffed, and suddenly a ravenette that appeared to be Naruto’s age burst through the bushes Itachi and Kakashi had just come through, freezing as he saw the group standing outside the house.

“Sasuke!” Itachi’s voice broke the sudden silence, and Sasuke ducked his head, scuffing his foot on the ground.

“Um… Hi, Itachi.” He mumbled, under absolutely no illusions about the trouble he was in.

Minato, however, had another idea. He set Naruto on the ground and grinned at the four year old. “Ah, here he is. Naruto, this is Sasuke. He's going to show you around the village!”

Sasuke looked quickly between the Hokage, his brother, and the small blonde boy being addressed as Naruto. “I am?” He asked, at the same time that Naruto’s face brightened.

“He is?!” The blonde enthused, looking much happier about that than he had when it was Minato in charge of him.

“Of course he is! Sasuke knows the village, and his family owns a few shops around here, so he can show you around and you can buy some… less orange clothes. Mikoto will seal them in a scroll for you when it's time to return home.” He handed Sasuke a small pouch of money, trusting his spending much more than he trusted the overly-enthusiastic-about-everything Naruto. He ignored the bewildered chuunin and jounin behind him, smiling at the children as Naruto let out a cheer and Sasuke looked at him as if he had just given him a mission of the utmost importance and difficulty.

In a way, he had.

“Tell your mother Kushina would be thrilled to see her this evening, too. I have to go fill out paperwork.” He was gone in a flash of yellow, and Sasuke blinked at the spot he'd been standing in, looking back at his brother and pocketing the coin pouch like it wasn't the strangest thing to have ever happened to him.

“Okay, um, Naruto, let's-”

“He's already gone.” Kakashi cut in, voice bored, and Sasuke gasped, turning in a circle to see that he was right. How had he lost him already? He couldn't fail his first mission!

“North. Better run.” Itachi chuckled, smiling at him softly, and Sasuke whimpered, taking off in that direction. The elder Uchiha watched him go and sighed. “He's so flustered he didn't even question my directions. I wonder how long it will take him to realize Naruto went west.”

Kakashi laughed and shook his head, forgetting, for a moment, the reason he was bringing Itachi here. “Nice choice of punishment.” He hummed, smiling at Itachi, who smiled back and shrugged.

“He won't do it again.” He commented, turning back to the house and sniffing the air delicately. “Do you smell something… burning?”

Kakashi snorted. “Kushina must be cooking. Let's make sure the kitchen isn't on fire.” He opened the door without knocking, and entered when no traps were set off, following the sound of bland, almost-curses toward the kitchen to find Kushina thoroughly scraping something black from a pan, a bowl of some sort of batter next to the stove.

“Kakashi! Itachi! I was going to make some… well, pancakes, I think he called them, but I'm not the best with them yet! Don't worry, sit down and have some tea! I've got this!” Kushina most certainly didn't have it, but she was going to be successful. She was stubborn, if nothing else.

Kakashi chuckled at her attempts and gently pulled the pan from her. “Why don't you speak with Itachi while I handle this, Kushina-sama?” He reasoned, and she huffed, running a hand back through her hair and nodding.

“Thank you, Kakashi. Just drop the sama before I start insisting you call me your Lady Mother, and I think we may get along.” She teased, drawing a slight blush to his pale ears, and laughed softly as she took a seat next to Itachi.

Kakashi figured it out quickly enough, and listened to the soft conversation behind him as he cooked.

“Lady Hokage, it's an honor to be called to your home.” Itachi started, and Kushina snorted out a less-than-delicate laugh.

“I've known Mikoto for years, you were here plenty when you were a baby. She made me your godmother, you know.” Kushina replied softly, and Itachi blinked in surprise.

“She… didn't mention it.” He admitted, swirling one black-painted nail around the rim of his tea cup. He had started painting them recently, though he wasn't sure if he'd keep it up or not. His father didn't approve.

Kushina smiled warmly, and he could see some of his mother’s love reflected in her face. “I'm sure she hasn't. I left her a letter when I left.” That was news to everyone present, and Kakashi paused before flipping the pancake, listening more closely. “I wanted her to know I hadn't simply gone for no reason. You see, Minato and I had a terrible fight when I was pregnant with Naruto. We both said some hurtful things, but our ideals of what we wanted for our son were so different that it caused a very real rift. I was scared, and I told her that in my letter. But, you see, I didn't know how Minato would deal with the situation, and I made a rash decision. I left, to protect someone I loved more than myself, and it hurt other people I cared for. I explained myself to Mikoto, and asked her to never mention it. I asked her to let people forget about me, if they could. I wasn't sure I would live for very long.” Kushina met Itachi’s eyes, and he could see that this was about more than her leaving.

He cleared his throat and swallowed hard. “And… Why didn't you come back? When you knew Naruto’s fate?” Itachi asked hesitantly, and Kushina’s eyes burned with a fire as bright as her hair.

“Because I still want more for my baby, and I was working toward that. And when you abandon or hurt those you love, there is no going back. I would still be gone, if Minato hadn't found me and forgiven me. If I hadn't forgiven him. But there is always another option, Itachi. I made my mistake, but I'm your godmother, and I'm here so you won't have to make your own.” Kushina finished firmly, and Itachi dropped his eyes to his cup, sipping his tea and fidgeting slightly.

“I think I may have already made a mistake, Kushina.” He whispered, shoulders hunching. “I- Danzo has asked me to… Watch my family. For Root. He thinks they will… rebel. Because of the way they're treated by some of the other shinobi clans.” Kushina nodded slowly and he met her eyes again. “And I haven't told him yet, but… I think he may be right. There is… Unrest. Since we were sent to the compound on the edge of town, some of our members have been… anxious.” He admitted.

Things were starting to fit together in Kushina’s head, and she slowly reached across the table to place her hand over his. “Itachi. Don't spy for Danzo anymore. You don't have to spy for anyone. You're ten. Forget about all of that and carry on your chuunin duties. I will handle this personally.” She chose her words as deliberately as she could while wanting to pound a man into the floor, and she even kept her opinion of Danzo strictly to herself. She would need to have a word with Minato about letting that egotistical bastard sink his claws into someone as young and tender as Itachi Uchiha.

Itachi hadn't been so close to tears since he turned six at Kushina’s reminder that he was still a child. He felt painfully soft and immature at times, but he was always strong. He had to be. He was a genius and a chuunin and an Uchiha. There was no affordable error for him.

But this woman, his godmother, knew he was a child. She looked at him and wanted to take the burdens that had been handed to him without his permission.

Kushina hadn't had that planned until she laid eyes on the delicate boy before her, entirely certain, in that moment, that the sweet baby she remembered was not going to grow into a cold-blooded killer. Itachi had grown his hair out, tying it in a loose ponytail, and had painted nails and wrists nearly as thin as Naruto’s. His face was thin but soft, and his eyes were almost a dark grey rather than black. He looked much like Mikoto had when she was younger.

Itachi nodded slowly and deliberately. Kakashi flipped the last pancake out of the pan and onto the plate, bringing the plate over to the table. Kushina smiled up at him warmly, then blinked at his perfect stack of very-much-not-burned pancakes.

“How did you- you didn't even see them made!” She protested, and Kakashi shrugged.

“I have before. They like these in Ame.” He deadpanned, and the redhead huffed.

“Ame is too flat for hiding, we didn't go there…” She grumbled.

Kakashi snickered at the near-pout on her face. “Don't worry about it, I enjoy cooking.” He fibbed. He enjoyed eating, but sometimes you had to cook first, so it wasn't entirely a lie.

It did make Itachi chuckle, though, and that brought a smile to Kushina’s face. “I'll make some more tea, then, and we can have lunch.” She stated decidedly, but she was barely to the counter when there was a frantic knocking on the door.

Itachi stood, waving her off. “I'll get it.” He offered, and she nodded, going back to making the tea while the Uchiha answered the door, blinking up at the panicked face of Iruka Umino when he opened it.

The brunette was panting and shaking as he gasped out, “S-Sasuke and Naruto! Kumo nin! F-fight!”

Itachi didn't need to hear anything more, zipping back into the kitchen and relaying the message, but he hadn't even finished speaking before Kushina was gone, nothing but a rustle of wind to show she had moved. Kakashi cursed and disappeared in a shunshin as well, leaving Itachi blinking and chasing after them. Iruka was already gone when he made it to the door, and he tracked his path back through the village to one of the forested training grounds.

Kushina was the first one there, and the sight that greeted her wasn't something she had ever wanted to see. Naruto was surrounded by a familiar red chakra, nails turned into claws and teeth into fangs as he leapt and snapped at a Kumo nin that flickered speedily around him, attacking with kunai and shuriken that sparked with electricity. Sasuke was dodging the weapons while also trying to get in his own thrown attacks, and Kushina slipped in to catch Sasuke around the waist and pull him out of the fight immediately.

“Stay back!” She snapped at the boy, and Kakashi was there in a moment, taking Sasuke and moving back with him as Kushina jumped back in, landing a single chakra-filled palm onto the Kumo man’s chest and not stopping to watch him fly back as she snatched her son out of the air and pulled him against herself. “Kurama! Enough!” She snarled.

The boy froze in her arms, and blood-red eyes met hers, slowly fading out to the blue she knew. Slowly, the red chakra began to dissipate. “M-mama?” He blinked in confusion, looking around him at the destruction of the battlefield. “What h-happened?”

Kushina sighed and rubbed his back, hushing him softly. “Can you tell me why Kurama was after that Kumo nin, Naruto?” She asked, and his eyes widened, becoming panicked again.

“Hinata! He-he was the one that- I heard him! He was going to take Hinata! Kurama likes Hinata, she's calming!” He babbled, and Kushina was more confused than when he’d started, but she nodded.

“Okay, Naruto. Hinata will be safe. She's fine. What exactly did you hear?” She coaxed, glancing up as Itachi arrived and quickly hugged Sasuke to himself, comforting the distressed boy.

“S-Sasuke and I were playin’ ninja, an’- an’ we saw tha’ guy, so we followed him. An’ he was talkin’ to some other guys, an’ said he was gonna kidnap Hinata! S’uke heard too! So we ran, but then he saw us, an’ Rama came out to help.” Naruto muttered the last part, and Kushina knew he thought he'd be in trouble for letting out the bijuu when she always told him not to, but she simply hugged him closer.

“That's what Kurama is for, sweetie. He's there to protect you, and I'm glad you let him.” She assured. She was sure she wouldn't have a son to hold if he hadn't.

The Kumo nin had finally recovered enough from her blow to start to stand, but Kakashi had been listening to Naruto's story, and it sounded an awful lot like the one Sasuke was telling Itachi from his lap across the training ground. Kakashi certainly wasn't going to doubt them when Kumogakure hadn't even officially signed the peace treaty yet. He was across the clearing and had the other nin restrained before he was even fully on his feet. “I think our Hokage will want a word with you about attacking his son.”

“I will, yes.”

All eyes went up to Minato as he arrived in a flash of yellow, eyes hard as steel. Kushina didn't know how he knew about what happened, but he was certainly a wonderful sight to see. For everyone but the Leader of Kumogakure, that is. The Kumo nin dropped his head to his chest and didn't say a word. He wouldn't incriminate himself.

“It's lucky we had a witness to the attack that could get to us fast enough. I think Naruto and Sasuke may owe Iruka Umino their lives.” Minato added softly to Kushina, running a hand through Naruto’s hair gently, and the redhead noticed that it shook slightly. She nodded and rested hers on top of it.

“They're safe.” She sighed, and the blonde man nodded curtly.

“Kakashi, go notify-”

“Sasuke!” A high voice interrupted, and Mikoto burst through the trees with Iruka right behind her, the teen stopping and dropping to the ground to pant as he saw the fight was over. The woman skidded to a stop on her knees next to Itachi and Sasuke, latching onto them both and hugging them so tightly that they almost couldn't breathe. “Sasuke, Itachi, I was so worried!” She pulled back from them just enough to look them over for injuries, then squished them both against her again when her inspection showed nothing. “You could have been killed! What were you thinking!”

“I wanted to practice masking my chakra…” Sasuke whimpered. “We were just playing.”

Minato sighed and shook his head. He had been about to have Kakashi go to notify Sasuke’s parents, but Iruka appeared to have covered all the bases. They really did owe the boy.

“Kakashi, we’re detaining him for questioning. Find Genma and… Ibiki.” Ibiki was newly a jounin, but his specialization in T&I was coming along fairly quickly, and they would be getting the information they needed from this nin even if it prolonged the war they were attempting to end.

Kakashi nodded and was gone with a whirl of leaves. Minato pulled the man to his feet, looking up in surprise when Kushina’s golden chakra chains surrounded the enemy nin a moment later.

“I'm not taking any chances. He went after Naru.” Kushina’s voice was hard, and Minato nodded, looking over the small blonde and noting all the small cuts in his clothes that showed perfectly normal skin underneath. He had a feeling the blood staining his shirt around each one wasn't from the enemy. He also had a feeling Sasuke hadn't evaded all the weapons alone as he scanned the number of them scattered across the ground.

“Mikoto, would you watch Naruto for me?” Kushina broke through his thoughts, and he looked up to see she had carried Naruto over to where Mikoto was still holding both her children close and didn't look like she'd be letting them out of her sight anytime soon. When she saw the small blonde in her old friend’s arms, though, Mikoto immediately nodded.

“Of course, Kushina. I'll take them all back to the compound until you're done and make some lunch. I'll send some bentos to you with Shisui.” She smiled softly at the redhead, who hesitantly sat Naruto next to her, but when Mikoto immediately pulled him into her hug, Kushina smiled as well.

“Thank you, Mikoto. I'll ask Kakashi to bring Naruto some clean clothes.” She sighed, running her hand through strawberry-blonde hair one more time.

“Oh, don't worry about that. He’ll fit some of Sasuke’s. I'll have them take baths and pick some out that will work.” She assured the other mother, who nodded and hurried after her husband and their chained prisoner.

This was exactly the sort of situation Kushina had feared, and she was glad it had ended without anything truly terrible happening. The fact that Iruka had seen Naruto in that state and ran for help rather than in fear, though, did give her hope for her son, and she would be thanking Iruka profusely when she didn't have an interrogation to oversee. Kidnapping the heir of one of Konoha’s highest-standing families wasn't something they'd take lightly, nor was attacking the children of two of the others.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is nothing I love more than comments at this point in my life, not gonna lie....


	4. Training Geniuses

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Man, I need to chill. I wrote the first bit of this, then most of the next chapter, then finished this one and added, like... All the things. This is unbeta'd, by the way!  
> I really hope you guys enjoy it!  
> EDIT NOTE: This is edited by the lady of the hour, Mahlyeki Dyavol! Apologies to you who read it before that happened!

Kurama was quiet. Naruto was used to talking to him when he wanted to, but it had been two days since his run in with the ninja that was going to kidnap Hinata, and he hadn't heard a word from his fox friend.

He also hadn't heard much from his father.

Naruto knew that Minato was a busy person, running the village like his mother explained, but he'd almost let himself hope that he would have someone to actually call Da. Or Father or Daddy or whatever people called their parents here. Naruto was still trying to adjust to the fact that they wouldn't be leaving Konoha. Adding his suddenly-gone fox to that, he wasn't in the best mood when he went to his first class at the Academy, but when he walked out of the school that afternoon to see Kakashi standing next to Mikoto, his mood brightened immediately.

Naruto really liked Kakashi. He was the coolest ninja Naruto had ever met, and the swirling greens and blues of his two mixing chakras made Naruto happy just to see, even if the blue was only around the eye Kakashi always kept covered. It was a similar blue to chakra of Shisui Uchiha, whom Naruto met two days before at Sasuke’s home, but Naruto didn't think Shisui was as cool as Kakashi. Not even Sasuke was that cool.

The blonde boy bounced on his toes across the yard of the school, grinning at Kakashi as he launched himself at him and giggled when his tackle was dodged without even a glance. Sasuke rolled his eyes at him, but Naruto wasn't the type to give up that easily.

“Kashi! Are you on a super secret mission?! Do you wan’ help?! Are you comin’ home with me?! Will you cook ag’in?!” Naruto shot off as many questions as he was allowed as he danced around the two jounin, then pounced again, laughing loudly as Kakashi caught him under the arms and blinked at him lazily.

“Naruto, do you remember the rule about breathing?” The silver-haired ninja sighed, and Naruto grinned, nodding.

“Rule 17! Breath between sentences or you'll pass out, dumba-” A hand quickly covered his mouth, and Naruto found himself supported with an arm under his thighs as Kakashi shot a quick glance at the ever-watchful Mikoto.

“Right. Breathe between sentences.” He huffed. Naruto giggled behind his hand and bit down just hard enough to get it pulled away from his face.

“I breathed! I'm breathin’! But you getta watch me 'gain!” Naruto had yet to learn the word excited, as that was his base-line emotion. That was what Kakashi said, at least. The blonde had no idea what that meant.

“Yes, Naruto, every Hokage’s heir is assigned a… jounin tutor. I drew the short straw.” Kakashi muttered the last bit as he set Naruto on his feet, and Mikoto laughed.

“Naruto is obviously fond of you. It makes sense to give you the job of training him; I would bet it was Kushina’s idea.” Her smile had the edge of a smirk in it, and Kakashi gave her a narrow-eyed frown.

“You know something.” He accused, ignoring the way Naruto was shouting at him as he stood on a swing with Sasuke and swung at dangerous angles.

“I didn't say that. I'm going to have to save my son from your… trainee now.” She smirked openly as she said it, and Kakashi huffed a sigh, letting his gaze fall on Naruto, dangling Sasuke perilously off the swing by his shirt while Sasuke laughed and leaned as far out as he could.

“He's going to be the death of me.” Kakashi muttered as Sasuke flailed and dropped, caught by Mikoto just before he could hit the ground, and Naruto burst into laughter so hard he also tumbled off the swing and sprawled into the soft grass under the tree it hung from, still laughing… He shook his head and picked the boy up by his arms to set him back on his feet, scanning him for scratches and nodding when he saw none. “Alright, Naruto, let's go start your training.”

The blonde let out a whoop of joy, once again bouncing, and Sasuke looked up at his mother with wide eyes. “Mother, do I get to start really training too?” He asked softly, and Mikoto smiled.

“I'll show you a neat trick with kunai before dinner.” She offered, and Sasuke beamed up at her, nodding.

When Naruto came to the academy the next day with loud stories about Kakashi Hatake teaching him how to walk up trees, though, Sasuke knew that one trick that he hadn't mastered wasn't enough. Three days earlier, he was learning the Uchiha Taijutsu with Itachi and had thought he was doing so well for perfecting one kata of the form, but Naruto Uzumaki had a “Kashi-sensei” that could teach him to climb trees without his hands. When he demonstrated it at recess, he even walked across the underside of a tree branch.

Itachi got home that night for the first time in two days, and Sasuke excitedly asked him if he would train with him after dinner… and Itachi said he couldn't because Kakashi caught him at the mission desk and asked him to handle Naruto that night while he, Iruka, Kushina, and Minato met with some important Kumo council that wouldn't wait another moment to speak with those accusing their leader of an attack on the Hokage’s son. Sasuke had never been angry with his brother before, but he didn't speak to Itachi for three days after that. It was like the entire sun had been stolen from him and handed to Naruto. And Sasuke would get it back.

He would get it back, even if he had to train twice as hard, every day of his life, to catch even a glimmer.

That was what started the Uchiha/Uzumaki rivalry.

Sasuke was the second in their class on bookwork and practical exams, and he had been first in almost everything else before Naruto came in. Sakura Haruno was better at theory, but she didn't have the chakra or physique necessary to put that into practice, and Naruto was far too distractible when it came to the classroom. He did terribly on written tests, and Sasuke held this over him at every opportunity, making the blonde boil with anger.

That was where Sakura came in.

Every girl in the class fawned over Sasuke and Naruto, depending on which type of person they liked more, and Naruto used this to his advantage as he sidled up next to Sakura at recess a month into his academy time. The blonde boy grinned at her widely and gave his best blue puppy eyes, the look that always had his mother’s wrath melting away. “Hey, Sakura. Can I ask you a ques’ion?” He made his voice as soft as he knew how, aware that Sakura was more fond of Sasuke than himself, and she didn't seem too put off when she turned around, smiling slightly and nodding.

“Sure, Naruto!” Even the people who liked Sasuke more wouldn't treat their Hokage’s son anything less than kindly. Especially when he was also the son of Kushina, the Red-Hot Habanero.

“Well, 'm not very good with books 'n stuff, an’ I was hopin’ you would help me with the chakra theory?” He edged, unsure if she would or not. Sakura had a temper that would rival his mother’s, and she was much more violent than Kushina had come to be.

To his great relief, though, she actually brightened as he asked her for help, and nodded enthusiastically. “And- and if I help you, can I meet your mom? My mom says she's the stronges’ Kunoichi since Tsunade the Sannin! Ino says her dad works with her, but she's never met her!” The dots connected in Naruto’s head, and he realized that they were as new to Konoha as Konoha was new to him. People were still excited about Kushina returning with him, and if that meant Sakura would help him beat Sasuke…

“Sure! We can train 'n study, an’ you can meet Kashi-sensei and Mama and Da when they get home for dinner!” He offered, and Sakura squeaked in excitement, nodding and tightening the ribbon holding her hair back.

“Okay! Get your book!” She commanded, and Naruto scrambled for the door of the classroom. Sadly, Kurenai-sensei was standing in the doorway calling them inside, and he had no time to study with Sakura before the end of school.

When school was over, however, he was twice as excited, because that meant he got to see Kakashi as well as study with Sakura, and he sped out the door with his bag on his back, stopping abruptly when he noticed it was Itachi standing with Kakashi rather than Mikoto. Group training? He grinned brightly and launched himself across the yard, bouncing in a circle around the two.

“Kashi-sensei, Itachi, are we gonna-” Itachi caught him as he tripped over his own feet mid-sentence, and he grinned up at the older boy. “Oops.” He huffed, staggering back to his feet, and smiling sheepishly at his sensei, who was watching him with one bored, grey eye.

“Naruto. Sasuke. Good, we can go.” The silver-haired nin stated calmly, and Naruto whirled around to see Sasuke standing behind him with a pout on his face.

“Are we going to train today, Niisan?” Sasuke questioned, slipping around Naruto to take his brother’s hand and look up at him hopefully.

“We're going to train with Kakashi-senpai and Naruto today.” Itachi responded softly, and Naruto whooped loudly.

“And Sakura!” The blonde added, getting three confused looks until a pink-haired girl in a bright dress bolted across the yard from her parents, smiling brightly.

“Wow, you're pretty!” She said immediately as she came to a stop next to Naruto, staring up at Itachi, who flushed slightly.

“That's not really-” He started, but Naruto interrupted.

“You're right, Sak’ra, he is! I never saw before!” The blonde enthused, making Sakura smile even brighter.

Sasuke frowned as Itachi started to turn a darker red. “Be nice! Boys aren't pretty! Mother says you call boys handsome!” He corrected, and Naruto made a face at him.

“Well, Gaara was pretty, an’ Mama di’n’t tell me not ta say so! Boys can be pretty too, like you an’ ‘Tachi!” The blonde argued fiercely, and Sasuke flinched back, his face scrunched with confusion, as Naruto said he was pretty too.

“You can't call me pretty, because I don't wanna be!” Sasuke huffed, crossing his arms over his chest, and Naruto put his hands on his hips, unconsciously mimicking his mother’s argument pose.

“Well, I did anyways, so what’s you gonna do about it?” He retorted, and Sasuke scowled at him fiercely, looking ready to fight over the issue, but Itachi placed his hands on both their shoulders.

“Enough fighting.” He said softly, and both kids frowned, still ready to start throwing punches.

Kakashi, though, had been snickering at them as they fought, and chose that moment to weigh in as well. “We have plenty of training to wear you out without starting a fight at the Academy as well. Sakura, I think it was perfectly valid to call Itachi pretty, as he is rather androgynous-” He smirked at the betrayed glance this got him from Itachi “-but it isn't anything worth fighting over. Now, let's go.” The jounin turned without another word or glance, and started to stroll in the direction of the training grounds, leaving the group of children staring after him as they stood around Itachi.

Naruto pouted slightly and turned toward Sakura. “Let's go, Sak’ra, we'll get ta learn stuffs today.” He huffed, but when Sakura smiled at him, he smiled back, and they both glanced back at Sasuke, who was frowning up at Itachi.

“Best not to lose him.” Itachi coaxed, nudging them all in the direction Kakashi had gone, and Sasuke nodded once, trotting ahead of the others as they followed Kakashi through the village.

They ended up on the training ground where Naruto and Sasuke had fought the Kumo ninja.

Naruto could feel Kurama stir in him for the first time since the fight, and he froze as the fox grumbled behind the old door in his head, the fight flashing through his mind. He had taken seven shocks and nicks from shuriken and kunai to protect Sasuke during that fight, and it made him glad that he always healed so quickly. His mother said it was a gift from Kurama.

“Sakura. Sasuke. Climb this tree.” Kakashi said simply, gesturing to a large, sturdy oak that was old enough it didn't have any branches they could reach. Sasuke knew he was talking about walking up it the way Naruto did. He was just unaware that the blonde had trained for hours on end before he could do that.

Taking a running start at the tree, he tried to channel his chakra to his feet as best he could, and he got a few steps up it before his foot pressed in like he'd kicked it too hard, and he was thrown off, falling back into Itachi’s arms.

“Well, that's a start. Sakura?” Kakashi gestured lazily and pulled a little orange book from his weapon pouch, opening it to a seemingly random page and ignoring them. Naruto was used to this during training, so he just started his expected practice of trying to form just one link of a chakra chain rather than the glowing blue chain that suddenly circled the training ground three times over. Sakura, however, stared at Kakashi and Naruto like they were both crazy, but screwed her face up in determination and walked calmly toward the tree. She knew, theoretically, what was needed, and she refused to fail.

Sasuke frowned up at Itachi, who gave him expectant look, and he huffed loudly, watching Sakura pause at the base of the tree before placing one foot, then the other on the base of it. Her brow was furrowed, and she started to sweat slightly by the fourth step, but she was actually walking up the tree, using her chakra focused in her feet. Sasuke stared incredulously at this girl who usually didn't do anything but fawn over him and read enough to get perfect scores on every test they took or paper they wrote. She was halfway up the trunk before she whimpered and slipped, but Kakashi was below her in a moment, catching her effortlessly and giving her an assessing look.

“Are they sure you're not the genius of this group?” He hummed, getting a beaming smile from the slightly shaky girl and two sounds of protest from the boys.

“Sak’ra knows  _ ever’thing, _ Kashi-sensei, but she can't do the thin’s cuz her chakra isn't big!” Naruto said loudly, and Kakashi raised an eyebrow at him, setting the girl back on her feet.

“And how many attempts did it take you to do that, Naruto? She did better than you or Sasuke did. Everyone has something they're good at, and Sakura's chakra control is better than both of yours combined.” The jounin reminded, watching the blonde’s face screw up in concentration.

Sakura glowed at the praise, but her knees were shaking, and she had used too much chakra for her small, child stores, just in that. Sasuke huffed and scowled at the tree like it had personally betrayed him, but Itachi chuckled at his brother and gently pushed him back toward the tree.

“Focus, Otouto. Imagine the chakra coating the bottoms of your shoes. Just a small amount. Don't try to run up the tree, just walk up it. It is a necessary but simple shinobi skill. Be more deliberate.” Itachi coached, but Sasuke was apparently not paying attention as Naruto let out an excited whoop and held out his hands to show everyone the glimmering blue chain, the length of his arm, that he was holding. The links were no longer the size of his hands, but normal for a chain, and he had obviously had some sort of breakthrough while Sasuke was distracted by Sakura.

“Nicely done, Naruto. You still need to work on it, but that's progress.” Kakashi sighed, once again back to his book, and Naruto squeaked with excitement, letting his chain dissolve.

He promptly leapt at Sakura, hugging her and spinning around while she screeched in laughter and delight. Sasuke glowered, shifting on his feet and turning back to the tree. He needed to do this. He needed to be able to keep up with Naruto. He felt like he was standing still, watching the blonde run circles around him, and now Sakura was also being praised for her achievements, while he-

“Sasuke, are you listening?” Itachi scolded gently, but Sasuke snapped to attention. His brother sighed as his face went red with the obvious answer, and he waved Sasuke closer. Sasuke knew what was coming, but he went anyway, and Itachi poked him in the forehead. “Listen to me instead of being grumpy. Imagine chakra the size of… an acorn.” He picked up an acorn off the ground. “That's all you need to do it. Try it out.”

Sasuke nodded and rubbed his forehead, staring at the acorn and imagining it as chakra on the bottoms of his feet. He still took a running start at the tree, but he made it much further up before he slipped, and when Itachi caught him that time, it was with a proud smile on his face. Sasuke had made it up to the same point Sakura had, and could probably make it further if he tried again, but he was still too young to have enough chakra for a third attempt.

They were all out of chakra much sooner than would be ideal, but Kakashi could see them doing well if they applied themselves and learned how to operate as a team. He had a feeling that was the part that would be hard.

“Alright, we'll take a break, then work with kunai. Naruto-” Kakashi started, but was interrupted by the enthusiastic blonde.

“I don' need a break, I need ta train! I've got ‘nough energy still!” He protested, and it was true that Naruto had more chakra and energy than the average genin did, even at four, but Kakashi shook his head.

“Sit. Kushina will behead us both if you end up sick because you push it too far.” He was only slightly exaggerating. She'd at least yell at him. That was just as bad.

Naruto pouted, but sat next to Sakura and gave her a hopeful look. She nodded to his unasked question, and he grinned, pulling his book out of his backpack and opening it to their current chapter. Sasuke also sat down with them, looking at them curiously and as inconspicuously as he could manage.

Sakura went over the basic concepts of chakra storage and control, explaining the bits Naruto didn't understand, and even Sasuke understood better after she carefully explained the concepts. In the end, Kakashi left them to their own devices, watching their interactions closely and noting the way Sakura seemed to balance the boys out, at least a bit. They would make a good team, he decided by the end of the study session, and he didn't disturb them until the sun started to fall, signaling it was time for them to go home for dinner.

“Sasuke. Mother will expect us home, soon.” Itachi said before Kakashi could make himself comment similarly. His brother was up in a moment, looking at the sky in confusion. He hadn't noticed how late it was getting.

“Oh. Thank you, Sakura, Kakashi-sensei. Hn. Naruto.” His voice wasn't as begrudging as it had been when they started their training, but it certainly wasn't warm toward Naruto either, and the blonde pouted when Sasuke had turned to leave with Itachi.

“Bye, 'Tachi!” He called pointedly, and Itachi gave him a small smile, but ushered Sasuke away before anyone could start the fighting again. That just left Sakura, Naruto, and Kakashi, and the jounin looked at the pinkette in slight confusion.

“Sakura, where-”

“Sak’ra’s havin’ dinner with us! She wants ta meet Mama.” Naruto piped up, pulling his bag onto his back and beaming up at his sensei, who sighed in resignation and nodded.

“Of course. Let's go, then.” The two kids bounced and babbled to each other rather unintelligibly as Kakashi walked them home.

When they arrived, he could distinctly smell something burning, and he ushered them inside before flashing through the house to pull a pan off the burner before it scorched. Kushina was nowhere to be seen, which surprised Kakashi, since she usually at least didn't burn potstickers, and these would have been toast if he hadn't saved them.

A thump against the hallway wall had him peering down it, and he grimaced when he caught sight of Kushina and Minato, with Minato pressed against the wall and Kushina’s legs around his waist, her hands in his hair, as they kissed. He shook his head and sighed, looking at the burnt potstickers and the other food waiting to be prepared. They had a whole, unseasoned chicken. Was Minato cooking tonight?

A soft moan could be heard from the hall, and Kakashi sighed. He was going to become a master chef if he kept spending time here. Taking a moment to check on the kids, who were happily playing… something that involved pirates… in the living room, Kakashi went to work on the food laid out in the kitchen, very thankful when he heard a door in the hallway open and close, any more noises disappearing behind it. The jounin was a lazy cook, and they ended up with a stir fry of vegetables, rice, and the now-seasoned-and-chopped chicken, but even Kakashi knew it took way too long to cook a whole bird for it not to have even been started before he got there.

Kakashi was a good wingman.

When Minato wandered back up the hall to find Kakashi corraling Naruto and a pinkette to the table, which had been set and actually had food on it, he blinked in surprise and smiled widely at the young man. “Kakashi, we didn't realize you brought him home yet.”

“Kashi-sensei cooked!” Naruto exclaimed, pointing out the obvious, but it seemed to be rather more pointed than Minato was expecting. He had been planning to cook, and Kushina had assured him that was a definite way to get Naruto to stop looking at him like he thought he might leave at any moment. Then she had showered and come through in a bathrobe and-

“You seemed a little busy when we got here, so I handled it.” Kakashi smiled, and Minato returned it, nodding and putting a hand on his shoulder.

“I see you even saved the potstickers. Thank you, Kakashi.” He said, as sincerely as he could while also embarrassed.

Naruto hmphed, and looked at Sakura, who was staring up at their Hokage with a mixture of awe and trepidation. The blonde immediately brightened, hugging her to himself and grinning.

“Da, this is Sak’ra Har’no! Kashi-sensei says she's a genus-”

“Genius, Naruto.”

“-yeah, that! An’ her chakra control’s great! She walked up a tree on her firs’ try!” Naruto enthused, already over the fact that Kakashi had complimented her over himself. Minato smiled down at Sakura and Naruto.

“Oh, really? That's quite the compliment from Kakashi. He was a genius as well, you know. He became a genin at five, and made chuunin at six.” The faces of the kids lit up, and Minato continued. “He made jounin at 14, and even survived the greatest danger this village ever faced.” The blonde man was leaning in now, and the kids did as well. “Kushina’s pregnancy.”

Peels of laughter from the doorway startled the children, and Mina laughed as well, while Kakashi just sighed and shook his head.

“Well, you're not wrong.” Kushina huffed, finally entering the kitchen. She kissed Kakashi’s cheek, just above the mask, then Minato’s lips, and dropped a kiss onto Naruto’s head as she made her way around the table. When she got to Sakura, she stopped and smiled brightly at the young girl. “And you're Sakura, hm? Did I hear Naruto say you were a genius?”

Sakura blushed softly and looked at the floor rather than meet the Lady Hokage’s eyes. “Y-yes, Uzumaki-sama! I'm not really, I jus’ remember things well, but I have good chakra control…” She mumbled the end of it, a bit overwhelmed, and Kushina chuckled, gently tipping her head up and giving her a brilliant smile.

“That’s wonderful, Sakura. And if you keep training and continue to try, you'll be a great Kunoichi some day with that chakra control. You may even be as good as Tsunade the Sannin. She started out like you, too.” Kushina said softly, and Sakura’s eyes widened, seeming to sparkle with her delight.

“Really? Tsunade did?” She gasped, and Kushina nodded.

“She did. And Anko Mitarashi as well. They both had brilliant minds see their potential and train them well, and they're both excellent Kunoichi, even with less chakra than their male counterparts. Tsunade went with a medical specialization, and Anko can get any information from anyone she wants with her T&I skill. And she isn't even a jounin yet.” Naruto didn't understand what Kushina was saying anymore, but the pinkette soaked up the information like a sponge, eyes bright with intelligence. She understood every word, and Kushina could see the gears turning in her head.

“So… do you think Naruto and Sasuke and I can be genin early, too, like Kakashi-san?” Sakura asked, her voice hopeful and soft. All eyes in the room were on Kushina, who looked between Naruto and Sakura, then glanced over her shoulder at the expressionless face of Kakashi before she answered.

“Kakashi was a special case, but if you work hard enough, maybe you can. Anything is possible with enough hard work. Maybe you'll even be the first female Kage.” She remembered her own goal as a child, and smiled when Sakura beamed at the thought.

“Yes! That's what I'll do! I'll be the Hokage some day, the first girl!” She exclaimed, and Naruto grinned up at Kushina, obviously happy with the results of this meeting.

Kakashi tipped his head as he watched the interaction, and hummed to himself. Sakura was smart, and had the talent. With work and dedication, she could very well make it. He decided, then, to help her, and if part of him thought it would somehow make up for failing Rin and Obito… That just made him all the more determined.

They all sat down to dinner, after that, and it was the start of something that would grow and spread with time. The Will of Fire, flaring across the village and bringing in a bright age.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you liked it!  
> Comments will make me 300% happier and write another 50% more enthusiastically!


	5. Team Trouble

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, I am so lucky I have an awesome Beta like MahlyekiDyavol! Thanks, chica!  
> I hope you guys enjoy this chapter! Bit of a time jump, but it is made clear!

Kushina had never been been as exasperated as she was when walking into her house to find utter chaos in the form of Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura, soaked in mud and shaking as they all shouted at each other and pointed fingers. Kakashi was nowhere to be seen, and Itachi looked as lost as any eleven year old in his place would. His place was standing between them all with his hands up as he attempted to get everyone to calm down. Six months into their time back in Konoha, and already they drove her crazy.

“QUIET!” She shouted as their voices began to rise, and all three shut up immediately, whirling around to stare at her with wide eyes. Itachi looked about to faint.

“Itachi, dear, please go tell Kakashi he has two minutes to be within my eyesight.” She smiled softly at him and he let out a long breath, nodding and disappearing. Slowly, she turned her gazes to the three muddy four and five year olds standing in her house. “I want all of you in the shower and scrubbing yourselves clean before I can take a step, or you'll all be cleaning out every fishtank, litter box, kennel, and corral in fire country for a week.”

There was a mad scramble for the bathroom and several hissed threats of bodily harm among the children as they disappeared down the hall, and Kushina stared at the mess on her floor. Someone else was cleaning that up.

Kakashi appeared in a blur, thankfully not daring to add leaves to the mess that was her living room, and she scowled at him as he straightened his mask and fixed his pants, clearing his throat awkwardly. “You-”

Kushina stopped him before he got any further. “You left Itachi to watch them while you fooled around? How are you-” She broke off, growling in frustration. “Kakashi! Clean this up!” She snapped, pointing at the mess on the floor. “When they get done in the shower, you're teaching those damn menaces how to walk on water, not leaving it to Itachi! And pick a cleaner river!” She growled, poking him in the chest and watching his ears slowly turn red even as his one visible eye stayed half-lidded and bored.

“Yes, Kushina…” He spoke as calmingly as he could, but it only made her scowl.

“Don't patronize me! Fix the mess and stop traumatizing Itachi with their violence!” She huffed, but her anger was slowly cooling. As long as nothing else set her off, she would probably be calm within the next twenty minutes.

Of course, Kakashi just had to mutter a comment about bleeding women when he thought she wasn't listening.

He really didn't expect her to start crying. He hadn't seen her cry in the half-year she'd been back, and he had honestly thought she was the one woman he could trust not to. Even crazy Anko cried, but Kushina was twice as strong as a rock. Kakashi was an 18 year old man, but he floundered and let out a distressed noise as the older redhead whimpered and sank onto the couch, tears rolling down her cheeks.

“I-I didn't mean it, Kushina, I-” He didn't know how to handle this. He wished he was teaching five year olds to walk on water right now. “K-kaasan, please don't-”

Oh god, that made it worse. He had fucked up. She had been so happy and kissed the top of his head the first time he had jokingly called her his mother, so he had let himself do it more often, but now she was sobbing and--smiling?. He was even more confused. Kushina sniffled and tried to reign in her tears, patting Kakashi’s arm in reassurance. “I'm okay. I'm fine, hun, I'm just hormonal. I'm-” She glanced around, then frowned at him. “You're going to keep this a secret until I tell Minato.” He nodded. Anything to make her stop crying. “I'm pregnant.”

“WHAT?!”

“Naruto, shut up!”

“You gave us away!”

Three children burst from the hallway. They had been masking their chakra and seeing how close they could get to Kakashi and Kushina before they were noticed. They had been close enough to hear her announcement, and Kakashi had to catch them all by their shirts before they tackled Kushina in their excitement.

“Mom, you're gonna have another baby?!”

“Congratulations, Kushina-sama!”

“Is it a boy or a girl?”

They all babbled at once, and Kushina laughed and smiled, opening her arms to them. Kakashi reluctantly let them go, and they piled onto her lap on the couch, hugging her and continuing to speak all at once. “Kids.” She scolded softly, and they all stopped, giving her big-eyed looks of happiness that made her heart swell. “I'm not sure yet if it will be a boy or girl, and we won't know until it comes. I'm only two months pregnant, so I don't want to hear that you've told anyone else. Sasuke, your mother already knows. So does yours, Sakura. I just found out today, though, so I haven't told Minato yet, and I don't want anyone else telling him before I do. Understood?” All three children nodded enthusiastically.

“Can I name 'im?” Naruto piped up, and Kushina chuckled.

“That depends. What would you name him?” She asked.

“Boruto!” He enthused, getting a laugh.

Sasuke gave him a look that said he clearly thought that was a dumb name, then leaned up by Kushina’s ear. “If it's a girl, you could name her Sarada.” He said softly, and Kushina smiled.

“Those are both wonderful suggestions, but we won't decide that until later.” The redhead explained, and the pinkette in her lap laid a small hand on her stomach, her green eyes wide.

“It's hard.” She gasped, and Kushina nodded, making both boys gasp as well, putting their hands on it. There wasn't a bump yet, her stomach just didn't have any give to it, and she smiled as she noticed Kakashi hovering and staring curiously.

“Do you want to feel it?” She offered quietly, and three sets of small eyes turned on him with excitement and expectation.

“Ah, no, I-”

“Kashi-sensei, I'm gonna have a baby brother, you gotta feel!” Naruto interrupted, bouncing off the couch to catch Kakashi’s hand and pull him over to the couch. The jounin allowed it, though he looked rather like he was afraid he would be bitten as Naruto pressed his hand against Kushina’s stomach, over her belly button. It was hard; there was a baby growing right under his palm, and that thought made Kakashi jerk his hand back after only a few seconds.

A spike a fear ran through him, and he remembered Rin, who had been so innocent and noble and died under that very same hand. He shoved it into his pocket so he wouldn't look at it and see the blood like he still did sometimes, and his eyes focused on Kushina, who smiled at him warmly enough to chase away his demons.

“I should take them to the river by the hotsprings to learn how to walk on water.” He quickly changed the subject, and she let him, nodding.

“That sounds perfect. If you all can master it today, we'll go have dango after dinner tonight.” She watched them scramble to their feet in excitement, and Kakashi nodded once before corralling them out the door.

Kushina waited until she couldn't hear Naruto singing loudly and off-key as they walked, then stood and stretched. “Itachi, you can come on out, now.”

A shadow peeled away from itself in the kitchen doorway, and Itachi stepped into the room, dark eyes wide.

“I wouldn't have stayed if I-” He began, but Kushina smiled at him and shook her head.

“You're fine, dear. Was there something you needed?” She walked past him into the kitchen and started to make tea, the boy following her without prompting.

“I-” He hesitated, but the memory of the scene he'd just witnessed had him steeling his courage. He had to protect those he cared for. “Danzo approached Shisui. Even with the newly amicable attitude the clan has had since your approval is improving the way people treat us, he's still targeting the clan. I worry for Shisui, but he hasn't said whether he will ignore Danzo’s attempts to recruit him or not.”

Itachi looked down at his hands and realized he had started picking off the Uchiha-blue paint at some point. He laced his fingers together and looked back up to meet worried, grey eyes. “I'll speak with Minato. It's past time something was done about Danzo.” Her voice held the restrained tone he now knew to mean she was reigning in her fury for his sake. He'd heard it often enough around the children, and he could sometimes even hear hints of it in his mother’s voice when she spoke with his father about clan business.

“He hasn't done anything against me since I stopped reporting to him, but I feel he may have someone watching me.” Itachi said hesitantly. He didn't want her to be too worried, because he knew that was bad for babies, but he also didn't want to keep information from her that could help in any way.

Kushina’s eyes hardened, and she nodded. “We'll go visit Minato at his office after lunch, then.” She decided firmly, and brought the tea over to the table as it finished brewing. “And when Kakashi gets done with the training today, he and those children can clean up the mud, and maybe he won't be running off to chase tail and leaving you to explain advanced chakra theory next time.” She huffed, getting a grateful smile from Itachi.

“Sakura is rather booksmart and would probably understand it well enough by herself, but Naruto and Sasuke… I don't know what's gotten into Sasuke lately. He's obsessed with training, but fights with Naruto instead of listening.” He shook his head and frowned. His brother was five now, and he was doing amazingly well for one so young, but he somehow couldn't get past Naruto doing better.

Kushina just laughed. “That sounds like Kakashi and-” She broke off and looked away. “Well. They're just being boys, it isn't a surprise.” She shrugged. “Maybe they'll even be able to make genin next year, and I'm sure breaking your record for that will make him happy.”

Itachi accepted the subject change and chuckled. “It would make our father happy, as well. I may be his heir, but Sasuke is his favorite.” He told her, not an ounce of envy in his voice. Sasuke was his favorite as well, after all. He was glad Fugaku had started to take more of an interest in him.

Kushina gave him that warm smile she had on the first day of her return, and Itachi didn't know if she enjoyed being here as much as she had enjoyed travelling, but he was certainly glad she'd come back. She finished her tea, then stood, and Itachi watched her curiously as she left the kitchen and returned a moment later with a small, cloth pouch that she sat on the table in front of him.

“You were out on a mission on your birthday, so you can have it now. Just don't tell Fugaku it came from me.” She grinned at his puzzled frown, and he hesitantly opened the bag to find several shades of blue and red polish inside, as well as a bright orange one. “Naruto insisted on the orange, of course. I stuck to your clan colors, though, so he can't complain too much.” She explained, and Itachi wasn't sure if this warmth in his chest was pain or love, or if there even was a difference between the two, but he smiled up at Kushina as he closed the bag and kept his hands wrapped around it.

“Thank you.”

The redhead just snorted and shrugged. “Well, it was that or a cake, and my kitchen skills haven't improved any.”

This got a laugh from the boy, and the tension he'd been holding in since speaking with Shisui the day before, the tension that had built as he tried to manage the children’s fighting that day, finally melted away. As if this was the cue she'd been waiting for, Kushina went over to pull six bentos from the refrigerator.

“Let's go check on Kakashi, shall we?” She suggested.

Itachi smiled and nodded. He'd send a crow to Shisui to let him know things were going to be handled, and he just hoped his cousin didn't react too quickly to Danzo before that. Things had been escalating so much more quickly than he could keep up with lately. “Of course.” Speaking of escalating though… Itachi’s cheeks felt slightly hot as a thought ran through his head. “Kushina… Earlier you said Kakashi had been… chasing tail?”

The redhead laughed and nodded, noting his flustered look and giving him a knowing smile. “You found him with this mystery girlfriend he's been hiding from me, didn't you? Is she pretty enough for him? Kakashi thinks I don't know he reads that porn Jiraiya writes, but I've caught him when he didn't notice me. I'm sure he has completely unrealistic ideas of women from that trash.” She huffed, and Itachi wanted to point out that no one who knew her could have unrealistic ideas of women, but he had something else he needed to talk about.

“Um, no, I- well, it wasn't a woman, he- I caught Kakashi with Iruka Umino, and he-”

“Iruka? The chuunin? Are you sure?” Kushina blurted before she could stop herself from interrupting, and Itachi blushed brighter.

“Very, but- well…” How did he even think this was a good way to bring this up? Kushina was practically giddy, though Itachi wasn't sure why, and he just felt embarrassed to be talking about what he'd seen. He didn't know who else to speak to on the subject, though. His mother and father were both out of the question, and Kushina seemed to realize he was trying to talk about something more already. “H-how would I know if I was interested in m-men?” He finally got out. He knew he had years before this would even actually apply to his life in a significant manner, but somehow he found himself drawn to… A man, even before he hit puberty. Not in any serious way. Just aesthetically.

Itachi didn't realize he'd relayed all of that aloud until Kushina gently tucked his hair behind his ear and opened her arms to offer him a hug. He accepted. Kushina’s hugs were second only to his mother’s.

“Oh, honey, you don't have to worry about any of that, but it's also okay if you do, too. There's no correct answer to your question, though. You just… will know if you like someone. Gender is an arbitrary thing when you really find a person you connect with. Don't worry about that bit too much.” She advised, smiling softly, and Itachi fidgeted, still worried.

“What about the clan?” He whispered, burrowing further into her arms. He was heir. It was his duty to-

“The Uchiha clan has plenty of other members to move it forward if you choose to be with someone who can't give you kids. And shinobi are always progressing. We can change our genders with a bit of chakra manipulation, I'm sure you could find a way, if you needed to.” Kushina assured him softly, and he let out a long breath, nodding.

“O-okay. Thank you, Kyoubo…” He said softly, and she kissed the top of his head as he let go and pulled back.

“Of course, Itachi. That's what I'm here for.” She smiled that warm smile again, and he nodded.

“Lunch time, then?” He remembered, picking up the bentos she'd sat on the table when he first brought up Kakashi’s dalliance.

“Yes! Naruto will be overspending himself, as usual, and Sasuke will be trying to outdo him, so I'm sure they need to eat before they wipe themselves out. And Kakashi will be glad for the distraction.” She took three of the bentos from him and let him carry the rest as they walked through town toward the hot springs.

Kushina was completely unsurprised to find Kakashi standing on the river with his nose in an orange book and three children soaked and glaring at him from the shore. “I explained, now use those big brains of yours. Come here-” He broke off as he noticed Kushina and Itachi, and the book in his hand was suddenly gone. “Yo.”

The children turned when his attention was diverted, and all three of them lit up. They knew enough not to go hug anyone while soaking wet, though. Naruto leapt into the air and let out a whoop of joy, instead.

“Mom! Itachi!” He exclaimed, then he noticed the bentos they carried and squeaked. “They have lunch!”

Sasuke and Sakura shared a grin, and Sakura secretly preened over the way her grammar lessons were helping Naruto not to speak so childishly, but she only gave herself a moment before she was bolting over to her favorite Kunoichi. “Kushina-sama! Are you going to have lunch with us?”

Kushina nodded and smiled. “We are. Are you going to be walking on water by tonight?”

Sakura crossed her arms and scowled at Kakashi, who had his hands in his pockets and was suddenly standing on the shore, his face too innocent. “Maybe. Kakashi-sensei tells us even less than Itachi-sensei, though.” She huffed, then smiled up at Itachi. “Can we keep you instead?”

Kushina laughed at the affronted look Kakashi gave Sakura then, but Sasuke was already on top of it, moving between his brother and Sakura and frowning at her. “Niisan isn't your sensei; I'm not sharing him.” Itachi sighed and shook his head, but trouble still wasn't over, and Naruto butted in then.

“Mom is Itachi’s godmother, so that makes us brothers too, teme!” The strawberry-blonde boy stuck his tongue out at Sasuke, who gasped and glared.

“Naruto!” Kushina scolded before it could escalate any further, and Naruto blinked up at her in confusion. He hadn't even hit him! “Where did you learn that word?”

Naruto remembered, suddenly, what his dad had said about not saying that in front of mom, and winced, shuffling his feet. “W-what word-”

“Naruto.” Her voice was soft and tense, and no one else dared to even move as Naruto whined and gave her a sad look he knew wouldn't help anything.

“'M sorry, mom…” He mumbled, but she shook her head.

“That's not what I asked. Where did you hear it?” She asked again, grey eyes blazing as they flashed to Kakashi, who held his hands up and shook his head. He'd learned his lesson after rule 17 got out to Kushina.

“Well… Dad said I shou’n't say it… around you an’ Sak’ra, but-” Kushina cut off his slurred mumbling with a raised hand, and he dropped his head to his chest with a pout.

“Don't use it again, Naruto. And apologize to Sasuke.” She said curtly, and Naruto whimpered but apologized. She dropped the hand onto his head, then, running it through his short, messy hair. “Thank you. Now, I don't want to hear any more arguing from you three today. Especially not over siblings or teachers.” She leveled a look at them that had them all nodding, then smiled and held out the bentos she carried. “Good. Lunch time.”

Each kid took one and thanked her politely, sitting on the banks of the river and chattering to each other about something none of the older three could understand. Kushina watched them go from fighting to laughing with ease, and she had to wonder if they'd always be that way or if they'd ever mellow out. Whoever got them as a genin team would certainly have their work cut out for them. It would take a truly brilliant jounin to keep up with them, at the rate they were growing.

She was brought from her thoughts when Itachi handed her a bento from his stack, the other already in the hands of Kakashi, both of her boys looking at her expectantly.

“Those terrors are going to run some jounin into the ground. And I have a feeling it'll be you Minato assigns them to.” She grinned at Kakashi’s resigned sigh, and Itachi chuckled.

The silver-haired nin gave him an assessing look, raising an eyebrow. “Maybe you'll make jounin before then and you'll get them.”

That stopped the laugh in a moment, and Itachi’s face fell into a horrified expression. “You wouldn't let that happen, would you, Kushina?” He whispered, and the redhead laughed aloud.

“Of course not. Kakashi’s never had a genin team he passed before, it's his turn.” She smirked at the small sound of protest Kakashi let out, and they all sat, observing the children in question as Naruto burst to his feet and bolted into the river, getting about two steps across before he started to sink.

The blonde flailed and Sakura jumped up, running across the water and pulling him back up before realizing that she herself wasn't sinking, and promptly dropped him to jump around and squeal, much to the annoyance of the other two. Naruto had to pull himself from the river, back on the shore, and Sakura flushed and giggled when she remembered why she'd gone out there in the first place.

Sasuke snorted at the dripping blonde, and Naruto scowled, launching himself onto him and refusing to let go until they were both soaked and had rolled into the river from their struggles. Kakashi sighed at his fate and pulled his mask down to eat. “Well, there’s one. If only they all learned that quickly.” He muttered as Sakura bounced around on top of the river until she started to run out of chakra and had to return to shore, where the boys were sitting with their backs to each other. She poked them both into trying again, and Itachi pulled his eyes away from Kakashi to watch Sasuke hesitantly put one foot in front of the other on the river. He got three steps out, started to sink, and bolted back to the shore, glaring at the river like it was qpersonally offending him. Kushina sighed. She remembered having to relearn how to walk on water after having Naruto, and the time she sank in to her knees before she got her footing again. She'd grown accustomed to the Kyuubi’s chakra her whole life, and it took a few months of overestimating before she managed to acclimate to her not-insignificant-but-less-than-she-remembered chakra stores. She had to imagine learning your capabilities the first time was just as frustrating, though she didn't remember it herself.

Naruto tried again after Sasuke failed, and he tried the cautious approach that Sasuke had used, this time. He stayed up for a little longer, but only while he was walking. Standing still was harder for him. Sakura pulled both boys into a huddle when they failed again, and seemed to be explaining how she did it, but Kushina couldn't hear her from their position.

“If they all learned as quickly as Sakura, no one would live to be as old as me.” She sighed. At 28, she was nowhere near old, even by shinobi standards, but she wasn't exactly young, either. Ninja living didn't exactly elongate one’s life.

“Mom, look!” Naruto shouted, standing on the water with Sasuke next to him and waving his arms in delight. Neither boy was sinking.

“Good job, honey!” She called, but then snorted as he grinned sharply and tackled Sasuke, sending them both into the river in a splash. “Sakura seems to have a knack for explaining things. Maybe you can just delegate your teaching to her.” She smirked at Kakashi as he sighed and his ears flushed.

“They’d still take just as long to learn it. Naruto and Sasuke feed off each other’s competition, and it takes several failures before they listen to reason.” He waved it away.

Itachi knew he was right from the training session earlier that day. “Sakura also doesn't help out so much as argue along with them at times, too. They're still kids, even if they are geniuses.” He added, watching Sasuke flail around as Naruto held onto him in the water, while Sakura rolled with laughter on the shore. “But they certainly look up to you, Kakashi-senpai. Sasuke has told Mother all about your training sessions, and continues to every day when we get home. She says that between Sasuke and Kushina, she's aware of every time you so much as scratch your nose.” He didn't add in his own part in that, but Kushina gave him a knowing, and slightly betrayed, look.

“I don't talk about-” She started, but a high pitched screech from the river had her jolting to her feet before she even saw what was happening. When she did, she sighed and shook her head, sitting again. The boys had decided to team up on Sakura and drag her into the river, while she splashed and laughed and screamed when one of them took her down.

Kakashi shuddered at the sight. “Children.” He muttered. Tiny ninjas he could deal with, but children were much more chaotic and entirely Not His Division. He was never having one.

Itachi chuckled and shared a glance with Kushina. Kakashi loved those kids, whether he admitted it or not.

As they all finished their meals, Kushina gathered the bento boxes and sealed them into a scroll for easier travel, then they split off. Kakashi stayed to start the children on full fledged shadow clones, while Itachi and Kushina continued on to the Hokage’s office. She had decided it was time to do something about Danzo before anything else got out of hand, and she would do it herself if she had to, but she knew Minato wouldn't simply stand by if it was time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, I am super duper excited and so sleep deprived right now! Anyway, I hope you like it, and I'll be waiting on the edge of my seat to hear what you guys think! Next chapter note will have a list of names I've thought over, and a vote will be held! Thanks!


	6. Meetings and Announcements

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, you all have Breezygirl541 to thank for this chapter! It's been half-written and sitting in my docs for like the past month, at least, and I apologize for taking so long! I'm so bad at self-motivation. That's why I ask for comments haha  
> Anywho! Onward with the plot! ^^  
> (All mistakes are my own, and this is unbeta'd...)

Minato was having a very long day, even before his wife and Itachi Uchiha entered his office that afternoon.

Officials from Kumogakure had once again visited him, and he had sent them away with their less-than-stable leader, though he wasn't particularly happy about it. The treaty was worth it, though. There wouldn't be any Kumo nin in Konoha for a while, still, but they weren't going to be at war, either. That was worth letting the bastard that attacked his son go.

The incident had helped smooth things over with the Uchiha Clan, at least. When word got out that Naruto and Sasuke had both been attacked, the clan had been up in arms, but Minato brought in Fugaku himself as the investigator into the enemy ninja. And after Kushina made her relationship with Mikoto and her sons very public, the citizens of Konoha had changed their tune enough for the Uchihas to relax. No one would dare to go against Kushina Uzumaki, whose hot-headed reputation was still well-remembered, and whose fierce love for Itachi and Sasuke was the talk of the town for weeks after the Kumo nin was taken into custody.

After his early morning of tense conversation with men he still didn't trust, chuunin exam scheduling for the next month, and three meetings with complaining civilians, he was very prepared to have a quiet lunch before he went back to his afternoon full of similar business. He really should have known better, though. Kushina didn't even knock as she entered, and he didn't mind that, because it usually meant he was getting laid, but then Itachi cautiously followed her inside. That could only mean one thing was happening, and Minato had been trying to juggle the issue of Danzo for months, but he hadn't found a way to safely get rid of the man.

Kushina came right over, face suspiciously blank, and sat in his lap, curling her lips into a smirk that didn't reach her eyes. Yep, he was sunk.

“Do you remember that conversation we had about Itachi shortly after I returned?” Kushina started in, and Minato sat back, wrapping his arms around her waist.

“Of course. Any developments you need to discuss?” He wasn't sure why she wasn't cutting to the core of the issue, but when she giggled and leaned in to whisper in his ear, he knew it was important.

“Danzo is still meddling. I observed an unidentified masked nin following us here, and we're likely being watched.” She whispered before leaning back and baring her teeth in a grin, eyes cold and hard. “Nothing new, it seems, just asking where you're at on it.” She added as she sat back up, and Minato tried not to stiffen. Danzo surely wouldn't be going against his direct orders and continuing to pursue the former trouble with the Uchiha clan.

“There's been no noise, but we're still rolling the issue around. Should I invite Shikaku in?” If anyone could be trusted with the issue, it was his Nara strategist. Minato also contemplated asking Hiruzen Sarutobi for advice, but with his recent loss and sudden saddling with his grandson, the blonde couldn't bring himself to bother the man just yet.

“Yes. And Tenzo?” She had been introduced to the new ANBU member shortly after she returned, and his former Root ties could possibly provide insight into the situation. Minato nodded and raised a hand, an ANBU guard flashing into the room in a moment.

“I need Tenzo and Shikaku to meet me in room 3 over at T&I.” The masked nin nodded, and flashed away, and Kushina raised an eyebrow at his choice of meeting place. Discrete and logical if they were tailed. Perfect. No one could ever say her husband wasn't smart.

“T&I?” Itachi questioned softly, looking slightly worried, and Kushina smiled reassuringly.

“One of the underground interrogation cells, so we won't be disturbed.” She explained without explaining, but understanding flashed in his eyes as they flickered to the window. He had noticed their tail as well.

“Of course.” Itachi nodded, and Kushina stood from Minato’s lap, pulling her husband up with her.

~*~

Kushina wasn't going to let Danzo live, after all his meddling, and that was decided the moment she heard Tenzo use the word eliminate when speaking of plans he'd once overheard from the old bastard.

It had taken Minato physically restraining her to keep her from going immediately. She had seen the fear flash in Itachi’s eyes, and was halfway out the door when her husband scooped her up and ignored all her growls and punches, holding onto her tightly. He had sat her in a chair and threatened to seal her chakra if she didn't think about what she was doing before acting so brashly.

That had finally calmed her enough that he let her loose, giving her a look that said they'd be talking about her temper later. After that, she hadn't spoken a word during the meeting, and had taken Itachi’s hands, gently painting his nails with the polish he pulled out while the jounin around them discussed strategy for either disbanding Root or changing its leadership. Even Itachi contributed with information about what they'd asked of him and the thought that an ANBU member named Hyo was the most trusted of Danzo, from what he'd seen. Hyo was capable and seemed to have retained the ability to think for himself, unlike many Root members, so he was a likely candidate for succession.

At the end of the meeting, Kushina was admiring her handiwork, Itachi’s nails perfectly painted a bright orange, and waited for Tenzo and Shikaku to leave the room before her eyes fell on Minato. “I won't be letting him live, Minato. He can't. He's threatened the lives of citizens of Konoha, even if he did think they were planning a coup.” She said evenly, and patted Itachi’s hand when the chuunin froze at her cold words.

Her husband met her gaze with pursed lips and hard blue eyes, that same stubborn look she often saw on Naruto firmly in place. Kushina had missed seeing that when she was away, but she wouldn't let that deter her. “You can't go rushing into this, Kush. He will be detained and interrogated, like any suspected threat.” Her eyes flashed, and he must have seen that, because he held up a hand to silence her before she even opened her mouth. “If he fights, I will not stop you, but you need to be more cautious.” The hand he'd silenced her with fell gently over her own, on top of Itachi’s, and black eyes flicked between the two, a soft smile coming to the chuunin’s face.

“Might I make a request, Minato-sama?” He asked softly, and both adults snapped their gazes to him. The Hokage nodded, and Itachi cleared his throat. “I wish to be assigned to the team that goes after Danzo, and I think Kakashi will as well. I'm not the most experienced, but my Sharingan is more mature than most of the adults of the Uchiha even have, and I think I can be an asset to the mission with my knowledge of Danzo.”

That wasn't exactly surprising to Kushina, who remembered how small and shaken Itachi was when he told her about Danzo and his orders, but Minato hadn't expected it, if his widened eyes and hesitation were anything to go by. “Itachi… I will be leading this mission myself, and the assembly of the team for it is yet to be decided upon, but I will keep you in mind when I put it together. We will need a backup unit in place, in case of a struggle, and Kakashi will be leading that. Perhaps I'll put you with him.”  With Kakashi’s Sharingan, as well as Itachi and one of the Hyuuga clan, their backup squad would be well-equipped to assess the danger of the situation and respond accordingly. Adding another Uchiha as the fourth member would further stabilize relations with the Clan and give them an extra set of eyes as well.

Kushina cleared her throat, getting the attention of both boys. “Why not ask Fugaku to lead the backup squad? As an internal issue, we should include at least one member of the Konoha police force, shouldn't we?” She could see Minato’s brain flashing through the same thoughts she'd just had, and he nodded.

“Yes. Itachi, will you carry the mission scroll to Fugaku?” He asked, dropping a blank scroll and pen from his flak jacket.

“Of course, Hokage-sama.” The chuunin dropped to one knee, ready to carry out any mission, no matter how small. Kushina couldn't be more proud of her godson and the ninja he would become. She only glanced up when Minato finished writing out the scroll and gave it to Itachi, sending him off in the blink of an eye.

With a sigh, the redhead leaned against her husband. “I have some news for you, Minato.” She started, and strong arms wrapped around her, making her relax.

“Good news, I hope.” He muttered, resting his chin on her shoulder.

She chuckled and placed her hand over one of his. “Very.” She whispered, sliding his hand down to rest over her stomach.

Minato tensed, and she heard him suck in a quick breath. “You mean-”

“I'm pregnant again.” She interrupted, turning her head to beam at him and then turning in his arms to wrap hers around his shoulders. “And I wanted to ask you… About naming our baby Rina if it's a girl. I know Rin is still-”

Minato cut her off with a kiss, and she returned it happily until he pulled back just enough to catch her eyes. “Thank you.” He said softly, and she beamed at him again, leaning into another kiss.

Life is a pile of good things and bad things. The good things don't necessarily soften the bad ones, but the opposite is also true. The bad things don't spoil the good ones, either.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you liked it! Next chapter, I'm taking that muthafucka DOWN. God, I just hate him... I hope you all hate him just as much! :D


	7. Mangekyo

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: character death here, and angsty thoughts.  
> This chapter is serious, in a sea of fluff! So, be prepared.... But I hope you enjoy it!

Something was up. Naruto was sure of it. He asked Kurama about it, but his Kyuubi just told him not to worry and to work on his wind chakra.

Naruto pouted, scowling at Sasuke and Sakura, who were happily playing with one of Kashi-sensei’s ninken. He sat under a tree, arms crossed, and stared at them, but they were letting the dog wind them up like Kashi had planned. Naruto knew he wanted to wear them out, because his da did the same thing to him when they were left alone together.

Sure enough, Sakura dropped first, rolling onto her back in the grass and giggling breathily until Sasuke fell down beside her and flashed her a grin. They were both panting and shaking slightly, and Naruto sighed. They were too cute like that for him to stay upset at them for falling into their sensei’s trap. The ninken trotted over to lay next to them and the blonde wandered over to stand by them.

“How are we gonna figure out what’s going on if you guys let Kashi-sensei trick you into spending all your energy on chasing a dog?” Naruto dropped between them, tangling their hands together and smiling when he got two heads on his shoulders. “They want us to take a nap so they can do something. Auntie ‘Koto is even in on it.” He muttered, looking over at the house they were lying behind.

Mikoto was watching them from the kitchen window, and she waved when Naruto caught her eye. Blue eyes narrowed when she disappeared, though, and he knew she was going to make up one of the guest beds they used when they all slept together like this. He didn't want a nap. He wanted to know what was going on that meant the adults wanted them worn out and inside.

Sakura giggled at him. “Naruto, don't be so suspicious of everyone. If they won't tell us, we don't need to know.” She stated, naively. Naruto knew better.

“Uh-uh. If they won't tell us, then it's dangerous. What if-” Naruto started, but Sasuke interrupted him.

“Dobe. Nothing is going to happen. They're f-”

An explosion cut off whatever he was about to say, and all three children were on their feet a moment later. They all shook and stared at the thick, black smoke coming up from a point on the other side of the village. Sakura gasped as she recognized the direction her own home was in, and her eyes started to tear up, but Mikoto was there in a flash...

Just as another explosion occurred in the same area, making Sakura sob and cling to Naruto and Sasuke. Wide blue eyes met scared black ones, and all three children clung to each other. Naruto was vaguely aware of Sasuke’s mother saying something, but he couldn't process what it was. Kurama was attempting to soothe his mind, urging him inside, but it took Naruto a moment to even realize that that was something he should do. Inside seemed much safer than out.

When he could focus, Naruto realized that Mikoto had successfully ushered them inside during their haze, and he gave her his bravest smile, pushing his friends toward the room that was theirs and the bed that would be waiting to welcome them. Sakura was still crying, and Sasuke was shaking visibly, but they were already exhausted. Naruto had energy, and he needed to be strong and share it. He didn't realize his soft purple chakra had enveloped them all until they got to bed and he was pulling the blankets around them. Sakura stopped crying, sinking into sleep on one side of him, and Sasuke didn't shake when his hand slid gently over Sakura’s hair.

The purple glow faded when all three were asleep just minutes later, and Kurama watched them from inside Naruto, wondering at the people they would become because of the events they were sleeping through. Such strength that it was even notable to an entity like himself was hidden behind children’s faces, and he was along for the ride whether he enjoyed it or not.

~*~

Itachi stood over his father’s body, watching the life drain from his eyes, and felt something inside him break.

This is no time for emotion, he reminded himself and his gaze fell on Hyo. The ninja that had killed his father. Itachi wanted him dead, and he could feel his eyes taking in every detail, but also something more happening there. He could see more, could almost feel the movements the other ninja was in the process of preparing for. It was thrilling. Something else was going on, though, and as he glared at the ninja, wishing death upon him, he felt a wetness that wasn't tears start to roll down his face.

Hyo burst into flames. Black flames. His mind supplied the word, only whispered about among the Uchiha. Amaterasu.

The flames flared as he breathed the word, and Hyo screamed as he was engulfed. They burned until there was nothing left of him, the thick smoke of the fires around them mixing with the stench of burning and making Itachi gag, closing his eyes and turning away.

What did I just-

Kakashi appeared beside him, and Itachi squeezed his eyes shut as soon as he saw him. He thought he was panting, but he felt like he couldn't breath, and the sounds of fighting had moved away, but Kakashi’s voice sounded just as distant, so he wasn't sure if that was really true or not.

“Itachi, move. Itachi! You need to-” A grunt of pain broke Itachi from his thoughts, and he looked up to see Kakashi had taken a kunai to the arm, which was stretched out around him, shielding him from the weapon. Their assailant was a masked nin he caught with his new vision, shielding himself with chakra in a nearby tree.

As his gaze settled on their outline, he thought of Hyo, of how he had burnt up into nothing, and his mind supplemented the word again. “Amaterasu.” He whispered the word, just loud enough that Kakashi looked at him with shock obvious on his face, and the whole tree went up in black flames.

Itachi shook slightly as he stood, once again squeezing his eyes closed and ignoring the feeling of wetness down his cheek.

“Itachi. We need to go provide backup for Kushina and Minato. They're fighting Danzo. You shouldn't be using that, you know the stories better than I do.” Kakashi urged him quietly, and Itachi's mind flashed to six years before.

He'd been only five at the time, but he remembered it. Kakashi, talking to his father, the clan head. His father being startled and almost looking horrified when Kakashi explained what had happened. The words Mangekyo Sharingan, barely a whisper on Fugaku’s lips, and a warning of the terrible burden using it would become on its bearer. He had been wonderstruck by the prodigious copy ninja even then, and he and Shisui had been listening through a cracked window. They heard about the Mangekyo Sharingan, and they found out even more about its history after that. It hadn't even occurred to him that either of the room’s occupants knew they were there at the time, but it didn't surprise him that Kakashi had noticed.

All this passed through his head in less than two seconds, and he steadied himself on Kakashi’s offered arm, pushing his emotions away.

Itachi didn't want this. But… he looked at his father, lying dead at their feet. I will do this for him. I will make sure his last mission is successful.

“Let's go.” He said to Kakashi, though he knew well enough that the man was the leader of their squad now. Itachi followed the copy nin as he jolted away, toward the sound of distant battle, which had been drawn away from the actual village.

They arrived just in time to see Kushina’s golden chains wrap around Danzo’s bicep and tighten until they sliced right through it. His arm fell to the ground, and Itachi and Kakashi both stared at it in horror, at the multiple Sharingan surgically inserted into it, before jumping into the fight. Kakashi lead with a chidori that Danzo dodged just enough to live through it piercing his side, and Itachi moved around behind the man to cut off his retreat. Minato had a multitude of his special kunai scattered across the field, and flashed from one to another, laying out ninja wire for containment, while Kushina was gathering wind chakra, which she sent slicing across the field as soon as she was sure not to hit any of her boys.

The wind attack caught Danzo around the middle, and the old man had no time for a defense. Four on one was too stacked of odds, even with the other three members of their squads distracted by his Root ANBU. He got one last attack in, a barrage of shuriken that did manage to catch Itachi but didn't do any significant harm, and then fell, bleeding heavily from the gashes along his stomach and back.

Itachi pulled one shuriken from his thigh and the other from his shoulder, and grimaced, but shook his head when Kushina moved to help him. “Godmother… I can't be weak… My father… I have to be the Clan Head now, I have to be strong.” He babbled, pushing her hands away, and ignoring the way her eyes went wide and her mouth fell open to say something (probably something about how what he needed was his mother and anaesthetic). “Is he dead? Is it over? The mission?” He pushed on, shoving his feelings down even further, and ignoring the pain as well.

Kakashi was the one to stop him. He crouched beside Danzo, looking into the dead eyes of the man who had once tried to recruit him to spy on his own sensei.… His face was serious as he turned back to Itachi, and for that the Uchiha was grateful. “Mission complete. Threat eliminated. You're done, Itachi.” He said softly, and hearing those words from his acting captain let the tension roll off his shoulders in a way that left Itachi swaying on his feet. Kushina steadied him, face grim, but he knew they needed to go help the Hyuuga they'd sent after the rebelling Root members.

“Kakashi. Take Itachi to the hospital. Kushina, we need to subdue the rest of his followers.” Minato’s voice was quiet but firm, and Itachi wasn't sure when he was lifted off his feet during that, but he found himself being carried quickly back through the village, curling into the other ninja’s strong chest.

“I'm fine, Kakashi-senpai, I can walk…” He mumbled, even as the Mangekyo’s drain on his chakra had him feeling as if he would faint, already seeing double.

“What kind of senpai lets their injured kouhai stumble around when they have a little brother and a whole clan to go home to? You need to be treated for your injuries so you can be strong for Sasuke.” Kakashi reminded as they made it to the hospital and he was lead to a room with a healer. Minor injuries like his weren't going to hold him up any, but Kakashi knew all of Itachi’s pressure points, and played them with a skill that had Itachi cracking open black eyes to glare at him.

He did not like the amused look on Kakashi’s face. He was not cute. He was the head of a very important clan now.

“I may be your kouhai, but I will fight you.” He muttered, even as Kakashi chuckled and lay him on a bed, where medical nin started to strip him and clean his wounds so they could close them.

“I'm sure you will, Itachi.” Kakashi’s voice was getting so distant, and Itachi had one moment of embarrassment at being so weak in front of the man before he slipped into the black of unconsciousness.

He dreamt of black rooms, and his father’s black eyes, and black flames that smelled like burning flesh. Then he dreamt of orange nails and silver hair and a pale hand smoothing his hair from his face as a deep voice rumbled soothing words into his dreams. When he woke up, though, he realized that it was all reality. And he didn't know if he felt more despair or hope in his heart. He was almost sure one didn't come without the other, though.

~*~

So much red. And blue. Mixing together and swirling into a beautiful purple. Sasuke didn't know where he was. He was standing on water, but he didn't feel a drain on his chakra. He was standing next to Naruto, but he didn't think this Naruto was his Naruto. This Naruto was… older. Or at least bigger. And his hair was a darker red.

Sasuke stared at the not-Naruto and blinked slowly. It was so strange. He still felt like he knew the not-Naruto.

It wasn't just his height and hair that set him apart when Sasuke really looked, though. This Naruto had red eyes, slitted pupils, thick, black lines around said eyes, and a face that looked much sharper. The scars on his cheeks seemed to be much more defined, as well. It made Sasuke nervous to meet those red eyes, but he also felt a part of him that was almost in tune with this… creature?

“The baby Uchiha. Such a threat in the form of a toddler.” The not-Naruto’s voice was all wrong. It was a deep growl, and it sent shivers down Sasuke’s spine, but he just straightened and fixed a scowl in place.

“I'm not a toddler. I'm six.” He stated boldly, and a deep chuckle left the… Thing's throat.

“Be strong, Uchiha. Sasuke. Naruto and Sakura will need you to be your strongest. Don't let hatred take your heart, or you'll break them both.” The creature with Naruto’s face grinned, and sharp teeth flashed at him, making Sasuke want to flinch back.

But he needed to be strong? Of course he did. He was going to be strong. And Sasuke didn't hate anything. He would never. This Naruto-thing didn't know him at all.

“Of course I'll be strong! I'll be stronger than all of them! And Naruto and Sakura… they'll be stronger too. Sakura’s gonna be Hokage, and Naruto-” It occurred to him that he and Naruto didn't have their own plans for the future, but he didn't let that stop him. “-and I are going to be the best ninjas in the village right beside her! No… we'll be the best ninjas in all the villages!” He had decided it, and it got him an amused chuckle from the not-Naruto.

“Good. Go be strong.” He rumbled, and the room started spinning, the blue and red and purple all swirling around Sasuke until he woke up with a gasp.

Naruto, his Naruto, was sleeping next to him. Sakura was sleeping on the other side of Naruto, the dried tracks of tears down her face. It had just been a dream…

Yet, he somehow doubted that. He didn't know what it was, but he knew he needed to be strong. For Naruto and Sakura, and for his Clan, and for all those in the village who couldn't be.

And hate… no, Sasuke couldn't hate anyone.

Rolling so he was squished between Sakura and Naruto, which made both wrap around him and set a warm feeling in his heart, Sasuke fell back into sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, lemme know if you enjoyed it? I'm kinda conflicted at the moment and haven't been able to actually get anything out for the next chapter because of that, so I would really appreciate some encouragement -_-

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you liked it! It's gonna stay mostly cute for a while ^^  
> Comments and Kudos super appreciated! Internet cookies for everyone!  
> Next chapter: Itachi!


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